Heavy rains in MP; Army called in Shivpuri as several people trapped in flooded areas

Bhopal: Several people, including school children, were stranded in parts of Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district due to a flood-like situation after heavy rains, prompting the authorities to call the Army for rescue and relief work, officials said on Wednesday.

A flood-like situation has also arisen in Guna district, where a bridge on a culvert caved-in. People from several villages in Guna have been asked to move to safer places, they said.

Due to heavy rains, Dindori, Vidisha, Jabalpur, Narmadapuram, Alirajpur, Rajgarh and Betul districts were also witnessing a similar situation and rapid relief and rescue operations were being carried out by the administration, as per the officials.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav took information about the current situation from officials at the Home Guard headquarters and gave necessary instructions to the collectors and other officials of the districts facing heavy rainfall.

He said all possible help will be provided to the districts and no negligence will be tolerated in the rescue and relief work.

Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also spoke to the collectors of Guna, Shivpuri and Ashoknagar districts through video conference late Tuesday night and directed them to immediately provide security, food, pure drinking water and medical facilities in the affected areas.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert of heavy rain in many districts of the state in the next 24 hours.

IMD has predicted 8 to 9 inches of rain in the next 24 hours in many districts, including Bhopal, Vidisha, Narmadapuram, Raisen, Sehore, Ashoknagar, Guna, Shivpuri and Rajgarh.

Due to continuous rain and overflowing rivers and streams, many villages of Shivpuri have been inundated. In view of the situation, the district administration called the Army from Jhansi on Tuesday night, an official said.

So far, more than 250 persons have been shifted to safer places in the Kolaras assembly constituency while more than 100 persons are still trapped in the floods, the official said.

The most worrying situation was in Pachavali village, where nearly 30 school children were stranded for the last 24 hours and were waiting for help, he said.

Kolaras SDM Anoop Srivastava said keeping in view the safety of villagers, the Army has been called.

A team was evacuating the stranded villagers and also providing food items and essential relief material to the needy, he said.

Army Major Shivam Ganguly, who is commanding the relief and rescue operation, said two of their teams were engaged in relief work in different areas and a medical team was also deployed.

In Guna district, due to a flood-like situation in the tribal-dominated Bamori development block, residents of eight villages have been advised to move to safer places, another official said.

Guna Collector Kishore Kanyal said due to the damage cause to the Kalora dam of Bamori, people from Singapore, Tumda, Kudka, Bandha, Umradha and Baniyani villages have been advised to shift to safer places.

In Bamori area, a bridge on a culvert caved-in, disrupting road connectivity with Rajasthan, an official said.

Union minister Scindia interacted with the district magistrates of Guna, Shivpuri and Ashoknagar districts through video conference late Tuesday night and took stock of the situation due to rains.

During the meeting, Scindia directed the collectors to immediately provide security, food, pure drinking water and medical facilities in the affected areas and use boats, helicopters and other resources if required.

"No laxity or delay in relief and rescue operations will be accepted," he said in a post on X.

All departments concerned were instructed to work in coordination so that no family is deprived of relief, he said.

Scindia said he was in constant touch with the Union Home Ministry and Defence Ministry and regular information about the situation was also being shared with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

"The central and state governments are fully committed to conduct the relief operations smoothly," he said.