Flooding in Saryu River | 20 Sep 2024

Why in News?

Recently, flooding in the Saryu River caused severe disruptions in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district, affecting transportation and local communities.

Key Points

• Saryu River:
  • The Saryu is a river that flows through Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
  • This river is of ancient significance as it is mentioned in the Vedas and the Ramayana.
  • The river is formed at the confluence of rivers Karnali and Mahakali. It is a tributary of River Ganges.
• Ballia District:
  • Ballia is located in the extreme north-eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, bordered by Mau, Deoria, Bihar, and Ghazipur, and lies at the confluence of the Ganges and Ghagra rivers.
  • The city is 135 kilometers away from Varanasi, with the Ganges separating Ballia from Bihar, and the Ghagra separating it from Deoria.
  • One belief is that the city is named after the sage Valmiki, who is thought to have resided there, though his shrine no longer exists.
  • Another belief links the name to the local soil, "Ballua" (sandy soil), with the city's original name being "Balian," later transformed into "Ballia.