Floods Hit Madhya Pradesh: Rescue Ops in Guna, Shivpuri, Raisen

Madhya Pradesh has seen a pause in heavy rainfall, but the damage caused over the past few days has led to worsening conditions across many districts. Floods have hit Raisen, Shivpuri, Sheopur, Morena, and Guna, forcing rescue efforts and school closures.

In Raisen, the Betwa River has overflowed, flooding nearby fields, roads, temples, and bridges. Drone visuals show entire areas submerged under water. July alone brought 32 inches of rainfall to Raisen, breaking the last 10 years’ record. Local officials continue to monitor the situation as more rain is expected.

In Shivpuri, Sankhya Sagar lake at the Madhav Tiger Reserve has breached its limits after three straight days of downpours. "The overflow of Sankhya Sagar is due to the continuous rainfall since Sunday," said Dr. Divya E. Surendran, Senior Meteorologist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD). “A cyclonic circulation in central Madhya Pradesh triggered this episode. The system is now weakening, and we expect a decrease in rainfall.”

Despite the drop in rainfall on Wednesday, several rivers remain swollen. The Narmada, Chambal, and Seep are still in spate. Roads in multiple areas remain blocked, and many bridges have either collapsed or are submerged.

In Guna, the Kalora Dam’s west bear wall was breached by 15 feet. Within 24 hours, Guna received nearly 13 inches of rain. Authorities called in the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Army to prevent further loss. Evacuations took place across nearby villages as water levels rose rapidly.

In Sheopur, a broken culvert on National Highway-552 has disrupted traffic to major cities like Jaipur and Delhi. In Baroda, the district collector and local officials used a JCB to access flooded areas and coordinate rescue work.

Shivpuri also faced a critical moment when 30 schoolchildren were caught in a flood while returning home. Local sarpanchs sheltered them until the water level receded. In nearby villages, many families took refuge on rooftops, setting up makeshift tents to survive.

In Narsinghpur’s Gangai village, seven people trapped by the Baranjh river’s backflow were also rescued by SDERF teams.

The IMD has issued a yellow alert for 12 districts including Shivpuri, Morena, Guna, Seoni, Balaghat, and Mandla. These areas could receive up to 4.5 inches of rain in 24 hours. Light rain is expected in Bhopal, Indore, Narmadapuram, and other regions.

Jabalpur recorded the highest rainfall on Wednesday with one inch. Bhopal and Jabalpur have received only half of the season’s expected rain so far, while districts like Tikamgarh and Niwari have recorded 42 inches—much higher than the seasonal average of 37 inches.

Since the monsoon hit Madhya Pradesh on June 16, the state has seen an average of 27.7 inches of rainfall, which is 10.5 inches above the normal for this time of year.

Dr. Surendran explained the forecast, “As the weather system weakens, we expect the rainfall to reduce significantly over the next few days. But isolated heavy rain may continue in pockets.”

Local administrations remain on alert as rescue and relief efforts continue. Many schools have been closed as a precaution, and residents in low-lying areas have been advised to stay at higher ground.

The state’s response teams continue to work around the clock, with rescue operations in full swing. Roads are being cleared, temporary shelters are being set up, and stranded families are being moved to safer locations.

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