Heavy Rain Lashes Madhya Pradesh: Flood Alerts, School Closures, and Dam Overflows

Madhya Pradesh is facing relentless rain as a strong weather systemcontinues to bring downpours across the state. Gwalior-Chambal regions are under a red alert with the possibility of up to 8.5 inches of rain in the next 24 hours. Authorities have shut schools in Gwalior, and many parts of the state are reporting waterlogging, damaged roads, and delayed trains.

The state has already received far more rain than expected. According to the Meteorological Department, Madhya Pradesh has recorded an average of 24.9 inches of rain this monsoon. That’s almost 9 inches more than the expected 16 inches so far. The season’s average rainfall is 37 inches, and the state has already crossed two-thirds of that.

Heavy rain started in Bhopal early Monday and continued through the day. Over the weekend, more than 30 districts, including Indore, saw intense rainfall. In several places, rivers are flowing above the danger mark, and multiple dams have reached their full capacity.

“On Sunday, a low-pressure area was active in the western part of the state, along with two troughs. These caused widespread heavy to very heavy rain,” said Dr. Divya E. Surendran, Senior Scientist at the Meteorological Department. “The same pattern will continue for the next two to three days.”

Gwalior, Sheopur, Morena, Bhind, Datia, Guna, Ashoknagar, Shivpuri, Niwari, and Tikamgarh face the risk of very heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, Neemuch, Mandsaur, Rajgarh, Betul, Chhindwara, Seoni, and several others are also bracing for heavy rain.

The effects are already being felt on the ground. In Shivpuri, soil near Badarwas railway station caved in, damaging the tracks. A road built under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana in Salon Bharka village was washed away. Two mud houses collapsed, injuring a local resident.

Rainfall disrupted major rail routes. In Betul, a high-tension line cable guard broke due to waterlogging, and an overhead electric insulator burst on the New Delhi–Chennai line. The route was blocked for four and a half hours, delaying 11 trains.

In Khandwa, officials opened 10 gates of the Indira Sagar Dam by half a meter and two gates by one meter. About 3,460 cubic meters of water per second were released. Omkareshwar Dam also discharged 3,510 cumecs of water. In Itarsi, three gates of Tawa Dam were raised by 7 feet. At Atal Sagar Dam in Shivpuri, six gates were opened.

The rising water levels are affecting roads and vehicles. In Kolaras, Shivpuri, a car was swept away in strong currents. The two passengers managed to escape. In Vidisha, a tractor got swept off a culvert, but the driver survived by jumping out. In Tamia, Chhindwara, a jeep was washed away in a river. The driver managed to swim to safety.

Flood-like conditions are appearing in several areas. The water level of the Narmada River crossed the warning mark in Mandla, submerging a small bridge at Mahishmati Ghat.

While districts like Tikamgarh and Niwari have received 42 inches of rain, much more than the average, Indore has seen less than 10 inches so far. Ujjain has also remained dry compared to other parts of the state. In contrast, Gwalior, Morena, Sheopur, and Shivpuri have already surpassed their seasonal quota.

The weather office expects the current pattern to last until the end of July. With rivers in spate, dams full, and more rain forecast, authorities are on high alert. Locals have been advised to stay indoors and avoid flooded areas.

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