Madhya Pradesh weather update: 2,100 people rescued, 4,300 shifted from flood-hit areas

As heavy rainfall battered parts of Madhya Pradesh, disaster management teams shifted over 4,300 people to safer places and rescued 2,100 others from flood-hit areas in the last two days, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Tuesday.

Two Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters were involved in the rescue operations in the flood-hit areas besides the teams of the State Disaster Emergency Response Force (SDERF), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local officials.

Many parts of MP, including Bhopal, witnessed heavy downpours over the last few days, leading to power supply disruptions in the state capital and other places. Narmadapuram, Vidisha and Guna districts are hit by floods.

Trains diverted, schools shut

At least eight trains were diverted on Tuesday following the inundation of tracks which disrupted the rail traffic between Guna and Maksi. Schools in some districts including Bhopal and Vidisha remained closed for the second day, officials said.

Rains stopped in Bhopal on Tuesday and the power supply was restored after more than 24 hours in parts of the city, which had witnessed tree falls and traffic snarls over the last couple of days due to heavy showers and strong winds blowing up to 40 km per hour, officials said.

CM conducts aerial survey

CM Chouhan conducted an aerial survey of flood-hit areas in the Vidisha, Guna and Rajgarh districts.

"I have visited flood-hit areas in Vidisha, Raisen, Rajgarh, Guna etc. In the last two days, 2,100 people have been rescued while 4,300 people shifted to safe places," he tweeted.

प्रदेश के बाढ़ प्रभावित क्षेत्रों का हवाई दौरा कर आमजन की स्थिति का जायजा लिया नागरिक चिंता न करें, चुनौती की इस घड़ी में हम सब साथ हैं राहत एवं बचाव कार्य में मैं और 'टीम एमपी' कोई कसर नहीं छोड़ेंगे  pic.twitter.com/PqoW9VZXKt

— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) August 23, 2022

Chouhan said floods have caused substantial damage to crops, roads, and culverts while transformers and power substations are submerged in water in the affected areas. The water supply filter plants in Vidisha are submerged in water.

Chouhan said the rescue operations are going on in the areas where people are trapped and boats are used. Two IAF helicopters are engaged in the rescue operation, besides NDRF, SDERF, the district administration and local administration.

READ | 'No justification for such act': Devendra Fadnavis on Bilkis Bano convicts' felicitation

Rainfall in Bhopal and other districts

Bhopal received 171.7 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Tuesday. Berasia town in the Bhopal district received 209 mm, a Met department official said.

The depression lying over central parts of MP near Bhopal and Sagar has moved towards Rajasthan and weakened.

Moderate to heavy rains with low intensity are likely in Neemuch, Mandsaur and Ratlam, bordering Rajasthan, senior meteorologist with the IMD's Bhopal Office Ved Prakash Singh told PTI. Light showers are likely in the remaining parts of the state for the next three days, he said.

In the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Tuesday, Jeerapur in Guna district received the highest 294 mm rainfall, followed by Aalot in Ratlam district at 283 mm, Nalkheda in Agar Malwa at 253 mm and Sehore at 240 mm, an IMD official said.

Bhopal, Vidisha, Rajgarh, Guna, Dewas, Betul and Chhindwara have received excessive rainfall so far, according to the IMD office in Bhopal.