In the rural village of Sarsanda in Barabanki district, over 230 families have been displaced and two government primary schools were swept away by the raging Ghaghra-Saryu river, rendering hundreds of children without access to education. The floodwaters have not only destroyed the schools but also displaced families, washing away homes, places of worship, and farmland, leaving the village in a state of distress.



The two schools—Primary School Sarsanda and Upper Primary School Sarsanda—were engulfed by the river's floodwaters on September 16, turning the lives of students like Brijesh Tiwari of Class 3 and Viru Mishra of Class 6 upside down. Instead of attending classes, they now spend their days collecting the remains of their once-thriving school.

“We feel very sad,” Brijesh shared, watching helplessly as the river devoured the last remnants of their school building. Viru echoed the sentiment, expressing their distress at seeing their school disappear before their eyes.

The flood's impact goes beyond the destruction of educational infrastructure. With no regular schooling, the future of 43 students from the upper primary school and 98 from the primary school hangs in the balance. Sanjay Rai, Block Education Officer, confirmed that the children have been temporarily attached to other nearby schools, such as Hetmapur Primary School, but many parents and students were unaware of these arrangements.

This devastating loss mirrors the experience of Kanchanpur village, where another school was swept away by floodwaters two years ago. The recurring destruction of educational infrastructure has left the area struggling to provide basic education for its children.

In addition to the schools, homes and livelihoods have been ravaged. According to the Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner’s Office, the Ghaghra river was flowing 0.896 meters above the danger mark in Barabanki, leading to widespread flooding. Residents, facing the threat of further erosion and destruction, have been forced to dismantle their homes and salvage materials such as bricks and iron rods for future reconstruction efforts.

Local authorities have been slow to respond to the crisis, with residents criticizing the lack of adequate support. Pawan Kumar, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), has relocated several families to safer locations, but many remain stranded as floodwaters begin to recede. A total of 56 families from Baburia, 106 from Keraripur, and 72 from Belhari have been relocated, though some residents, like the 30 families still in Belhari, remain in vulnerable areas.

The emotional toll on the children is immense. Vaishnavi Mishra, a Class 3 student, was devastated when she arrived at school on Saturday to find it completely gone. Many students have lost their textbooks and other essential supplies, adding to their sense of displacement and loss.

The flooding has also caused significant damage to other village infrastructure, including roads, places of worship, and agricultural fields. Without proper drainage systems, the floodwaters have left the region inundated, with residents forced to seek shelter along raised village roads.

In response to the crisis, local authorities have launched rescue and relief operations, deploying emergency workers to evacuate stranded residents and provide essential supplies such as food, water, and medical assistance. The government has announced plans for temporary shelters and rehabilitation support for the affected families, but the road to recovery will be long.

The destruction of the primary schools and the displacement of hundreds of families underscores the vulnerability of rural communities like Sarsanda to natural disasters. The flood has not only washed away homes but also the children’s education and future.

The Ghaghra river, a major tributary of the Ganga, is prone to frequent flooding. Professor Venkatesh Dutta, from Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, explains that intensive monsoon rains in the Himalayan foothills and surrounding areas lead to increased water flow downstream, causing the river to flood. The river’s course through flat, low-lying areas and alluvial deposits exacerbates the risk, while human activities like deforestation, agriculture, and infrastructure development in floodplains contribute to the severity of the floods.