Heavy Rains Lash Madhya Pradesh, IMD Issues Red Alert for 35 Districts

Madhya Pradesh is seeing intense rainfall as the monsoon continues to batter the state. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the state has already received 74% more rain than normal so far this season. On average, the state has recorded around 14 inches of rainfall.

The situation is most severe in the eastern parts of the state. Districts such as Jabalpur, Rewa, Shahdol, and Sagar are among the worst affected. On Wednesday, the IMD issued red and orange alerts for 35 districts, warning of very heavy rain in many areas.

Monsoon Rains Flood Madhya Pradesh

"Heavy rain activity is likely to continue over most parts of Madhya Pradesh till July 12," said Dr. Divya E. Surendran, senior meteorologist at IMD Bhopal. "This is due to two active troughs and a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal."

In several districts, flood-like conditions have emerged. Narmada river is flowing above the danger mark in Mandla and Narsinghpur. Many villages in Narsinghpur are half-submerged. Roads have been washed away and bridges closed in parts of the state.

Pachmarhi in Narmadapuram received more than five inches of rain in just nine hours on Tuesday. Other parts also saw intense downpours. Balaghat recorded 163 mm of rain in the last 24 hours. Seoni got nearly 110 mm, and Mandla received over 120 mm.

In Shivpuri, three young men were swept away while trying to cross a flooded stream. Two of them managed to survive, while the third, who was also taken by the current, swam to safety.

Sehore district saw the Narmada river overflow onto a bridge in Nadaner village. Locals gathered to take photos as water covered the road.

Dams Opened, Villages Face Flooding

The rising water levels have forced dam authorities to open gates across the state. On Tuesday, 11 gates of the Ban Sujara dam in Tikamgarh were opened. Satpura Dam in Betul also opened seven gates. The release of water led to flooding in nearby villages.

PK Raikwar, a scientist at IMD, explained the cause. "A low-pressure system over West Bengal and surrounding areas, combined with a trough extending across central India, is fueling the current rain activity."

IMD has issued weather forecasts for key districts for the next two days.  

Rescue teams evacuated 16 people from flooded areas in Balaghat. Roads in Khairlanji and Lavada were damaged or submerged. The bridge over the Singri river was swept away, and authorities are searching for a youth who went missing while crossing.

Two deaths have been reported. A man was killed by lightning in Dindori. In Anuppur, a child drowned while bathing near a dam.

Floods have affected nearly 50 villages in Narsinghpur. The Narmada, Shedh, Umar, and Shakkar rivers have cut off access in several areas.

The monsoon, which entered Madhya Pradesh a day late on June 16, quickly spread across the state. Within five days, it covered all 55 districts. Since then, rain has continued without much pause.

Support usto keep independent environmental journalism alive in India.

Keep Reading

Indore Startup Swaaha takes the lead in making Amarnath Yatra eco-friendly

Amarnath Yatra: Tackling rising death toll from extreme weather events

Amarnath yatra pilgrims urinating in Sindh river: A threat to environment

Amarnath Yatra 2023: IMD operationalizes Banihal Doppler weather radar to detect high-impact weather events

Stay connected with Ground Report for underreported environmental stories.

Follow us onX,Instagram, andFacebook; share your thoughts at [email protected]; subscribe to our weekly newsletter for deep dives from the margins; join ourWhatsApp communityfor real-time updates; and catch our video reports on YouTube.

Your support amplifies voices too often overlooked—thank you for being part of the movement.