In the wake of heavy and continuous rainfall, a road in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh has collapsed, disrupting connectivity and causing significant challenges for local residents.

The incident took place at Biralsi and Roni Harjipur area of Muzaffarnagar on July 6.

Visuals showed a group of people were stopped on a road, some on bikes and others in various vehicles. Suddenly, a section of the road gave way and collapsed. As the road crumbled, the exposed area below revealed a scene of flooding. The onlookers appeared frightened and distressed, visibly shaken by the sudden collapse and the sight of the floodwaters below.

The Ganga Canal, originating from Mohand in Saharanpur, saw a significant increase in water levels, leading to a breach in the canal bank in the forested area between Biralsi and Roni Harjipur. The breach resulted in severe damage to the road infrastructure and inundated hundreds of acres of crops. The breach has also isolated multiple villages, cutting off their connectivity.

On Saturday, the canal overflowed, causing water to seep through the canal bank. By noon, the canal bank had broken, submerging vast tracts of farmland. Villagers immediately reported the incident to the irrigation department and Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Vikas Sharma. Sharma promptly informed the authorities about the breach.

The collapse of the canal bank has severed the main road, affecting travel to and from Biralsi, Roni Harjipur, Manganpur, Shamli, Lalu Khedi, and Saharanpur. SDM Sadar Nikita Sharma visited the site and assured villagers of prompt repairs and all possible assistance.

Meanwhile, the first rain of the season, which began late Friday night in Mirapur, exposed the poor state of the town’s sanitation system. Continuous rain has left the town’s streets completely waterlogged, with dirty water flooding homes from the roads and drains. The residents expressed their dissatisfaction with the town council, especially since a tender worth approximately Rs 3.9 million was previously floated for improvements, yet the flooding issues remain unresolved. By Saturday, all major roads and alleyways in the town were submerged, with several feet of water accumulating on the streets.