Varanasi ghats hit by rising Ganga: Cremations move to rooftops, boat services stopped
The Ganga river has overflowed its banks in Varanasi, prompting cremations to be moved to rooftops and suspending boat services. Shankar Kumar, who attended a neighbor's last rites, witnessed cremations taking place on the Manikarnika Ghat's higher floors. The swollen river has submerged the lower sections of the ghat, forcing changes in traditional rites.
Shalu Chaudhary, a member of the Dom community, stated that while there is no long wait for cremations, the current situation could become problematic if the number of bodies increases. Boat services are also halted, as the rising Ganga approaches dangerous levels. Varanasi Boat Association's Shambhu Sahani warned that the river is close to the danger mark of 71.26 meters, while the ACP of Varanasi Police cautioned that lakhs of visitors during the Sawan month necessitate precautionary measures.
The civic body is waiting for the water level to recede before restoring connections between ghats, and the Jal Police, NDRF, and PAC are patrolling the areas to keep the public safe.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
