Life has been thrown out of gear in many parts of Madhya Pradesh, especially in Bhopal, as heavy rainfall and high velocity winds continue to lash the state.
At least two persons—one each in Bhopal and Ashok Nagar—died due to rain-related incidents. Crops were damaged in half dozen villages in Lateri of Vidisha as a stop dam was breached and water gushed into the farms. Several roads were cut-off as rivers and rivulets were in spate and many bridges and culverts drowned.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) Bhopal, issuing red alert for overnight in parts of Ujjain and Indore divisions and Rajgarh district. Warning of heavy rain for parts of Gwalior, Narmadapuram (Hoshangabad) and Bhopal divisions and Vidisha, Raisen and Sehore districts was also issued.
Rainfall was expected to continue in Chambal, Jabalpur and Sagar divisions while thunderstorm and squally conditions (winds of velocity 30-40km per hour) was expected during next 24 hours in Indore, Ujjain, Chambal, Gwalior, Narmadapuram and Bhopal divisions, the RMC said.
After brief respite on August 24 and 25, heavy rainfall is expected to make a comeback in Eastern Madhya Pradesh on August 26, with another weather system brewing over Odisha, RMC scientist Ved Prakash Singh told THE WEEK.
As on Monday morning, Madhya Pradesh received 879mm of rainfall in the season (from June 1), which is 26 per cent excess. In all, 14 districts of the state received 30-85 per cent excess rainfall till now.
Bhopal faces blackout, inundation
Bhopal was especially impacted as the rainfall that commenced on Sunday evening continued unabated, along with high velocity winds of 30-35 km per hour, till the filing of this report.
During the 33 hours from 8.30 am on Sunday to 5.30pm on Monday, Bhopal Airport recorded 339.5mm of rainfall, while Bhopal city recorded 284.9mm of rain. As for the season, the capital has received double the expected rain till now (Monday morning) at 1,412.4mm against the expected 710.1mm.
The impact of the heavy showers was felt acutely as at least 200 residential colonies were marooned with ground floor houses in several of them getting inundated.
Power supply remained disrupted for hours from Monday morning and was not restored even till evening in most parts of the city. Over 200 trees were uprooted; some of them fell on power lines. A transformer near the Upper Lake was damaged, causing power outage.
Bhopal district collector had already announced a holiday for schools on Monday. Schools may remain shut on Tuesday as well.
Upper Lake in Bhopal, that is full to capacity, saw high waves that caused the cruise ‘Lake Princess’ of the MP Tourism Department to sink partially. It was later anchored properly by a team of over 20 employees.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s programmes were impacted by the rain. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had to cancel their trip to Bhopal for the inter-state council meeting, chaired by Shah. Both chief ministers joined the meeting virtually, while Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had arrived earlier, on Sunday evening. The foundation stone laying ceremony of National Forensic Science University (NFSU) was shifted indoors at Ravindra Bhavan at the last moment. Shah was expected to attend more programmes on Monday late evening before returning to Delhi.
CM alerts districts, appeals to citizens
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviewed the situation on Monday and directed all district administrations to remain on alert in view of the warning of excessive rain. He also appealed to the citizens to not venture out to places where inundation was expected and near water bodies. He urged them to pay heed to the directives issued by district administrations.
MP Congress chief Kamal Nath demanded that the government take all necessary measures to deal with the situation emerging from the excess rainfall to prevent loss of life, and to provide relief to citizens impacted by the rains.
The state BJP cancelled its training camp and state executive committee meeting scheduled at Pachmarhi from August 24 to 26, in view of the heavy rainfall.
Rainfall in figures
(Past 24 hours ending 8.30am on Monday in mms)
Bhopal 190.5
Guna174.9
Sagar 173.8
Raisen 162.0
Jabalpur 160.0
Pachmarhi 148.0
Bhopal City 140.2
Narsinghpur 117.0
Damoh 104.0
Narmadapuram 100.4
Khajuraho 75.0
(8.30am to 5.30pm on Monday in mms)
Raisen 157.0
Bhopal 149.0
Bhopal City 144.7
Narmadapuram 120.0
Guna 47.0
Pachmarhi 28.0
Seasonal Rain (from June 1 to August 22)
Madhya Pradesh – 879mm (26 pc excess)
Bhopal – 1412.4mm (99 pc excess)
