Gorakhpur, Aug 7 : Floodwaters have started receding in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, but water-borne diseases have started taking a toll.

The floodwaters have cut off hundreds of villages in the region. According to the state authorities, 311 villages have been inundated and around 21 lives have been lost in the floods.

Most of the flood victims anticipate an outbreak of cholera due to the unhygienic conditions.

"We were literally surrounded by flood water for over two complete months and we used to defecate in that flood water. Obviously, it was unhygienic. Where do we go? These doctors used to come, but never gave us any solution though we had informed the authorities many times about the condition over here. This is the reason these diseases are spreading and people are dying," said Ramsoorat Das, a resident.

Villagers complain that the floods have left them impoverished.

The authorities while conceding that gastroenteritis has claimed as four lives, claimed that all necessary steps are being taken to provide medical relief to the villagers.

"Within five-six hours, we had reports of many people falling sick and out of them four people died. We had reports that around four to five children were ill. We provided them with medical facilities there itself. We have also sent doctors in the surrounding areas," said Ranjit Singh Pankaj, District Magistrate, Gorakhpur.

The authorities said that they are also providing relief material like foodgrains, matchsticks, kerosene and other basic amenities.

But the villagers are not satisfied with the relief measures and fear that more lives might fall prey to the water borne diseases. (ANI)