Rain continued across several parts of Madhya Pradesh for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, disrupting normal life as roads and residential areas were waterlogged and rivers and streams swelled at several places.
Bhopal received around seven inches of rainfall in the past 24 hours, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), inundating several roads and colonies. Rainwater also entered houses in low-lying areas, affecting traffic and other daily activities.
Schools in Bhopal remained closed on Tuesday for students from nursery to Class 12 in view of the heavy rainfall. The district administration advised residents to remain cautious and avoid unnecessary movement in waterlogged areas.
In Sehore district, 10 members of a family were stranded at their house near the Bhilakhedi River after its water level rose amid torrential rain. Police, with the assistance of villagers, rescued all of them on Monday evening.
Raisen also witnessed heavy rainfall, causing rivers and streams to swell. Rising water levels in the Jakha-Betwa River on Bhopal Road and at Pagneshwar on Sanchi Road submerged small bridges, while water spread into agricultural fields in several areas.
Intermittent rain continued till Tuesday morning, with the IMD’s Meteorological Centre issuing a heavy rainfall alert for Neemuch, Mandsaur, Ratlam, Alirajpur, Agar-Malwa, Rajgarh, Guna, Shivpuri, Sheopur and Morena districts.
Light to heavy rain is also likely over several other districts during the next 24 hours, including Bhopal, Raisen, Sehore, Vidisha, Indore, Dhar, Burhanpur, Barwani, Khandwa, Khargone, Jhabua, Ujjain, Shajapur, Dewas, Narmadapuram, Betul, Harda, Gwalior, Datia, Ashoknagar, Bhind, Jabalpur, Katni, Chhindwara, Seoni, Narsinghpur, Balaghat, Mandla, Dindori, Pandhurna, Rewa, Satna, Sidhi, Singrauli, Mauganj, Maihar, Shahdol, Umaria, Anuppur, Sagar, Panna, Damoh, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh and Niwari.
Weather expert Shailendra Kumar Nayak said a low-pressure area formed over northern Madhya Pradesh and adjoining areas on August 10, with an associated cyclonic circulation extending up to 5.8 km.
The monsoon trough is passing through the centre of the system, resulting in heavy rainfall over parts of the state, he said. Another cyclonic circulation has developed over the northwestern Bay of Bengal and is likely to lead to the formation of a fresh low-pressure area around August 12, Nayak added.
“The next four days will be crucial for Madhya Pradesh as rainfall activity is likely to continue under the influence of these systems,” he said.
According to state government rainfall data presented at a meeting of ministers and senior officials chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday, Madhya Pradesh received 483 mm of rainfall between June 1 and August 10, against the normal 571 mm, recording a 15 per cent deficit.
Eastern Madhya Pradesh received 513.20 mm of rainfall during the period, while western Madhya Pradesh recorded 459.80 mm.
Around half of the state’s districts have received normal rainfall, while some have recorded deficient rainfall. Several areas are expected to receive more rain in the coming days.
The state government has directed officials to closely monitor rainfall, reservoir and river levels and keep disaster control rooms operational amid the continuing rain.
(IANS Inputs)
