Heavy rains hit MP, Indore records highest 24-hour rain in 39 years

BHOPAL: The India Meteorological Department on Saturday, August 22, issued red, orange and yellow alerts in 23 districts of Madhya Pradesh (MP) about heavy to very heavy rains, along with blustery winds. For five districts in west Madhya Pradesh, including Khargone, Alirajpur, Dhar, Jhabua and Ratlam, a red alert has been issued for excessively heavy rains and high powered winds, while in nine districts, including Burhanpur, Barwani, Indore, Ujjain, Dewas, Shajapur, Agar-Malwa, Neemuch, Mandsaur, a yellow alert of heavy rain and blustery winds was put. The alerts were issued after most parts of the state were inundated overnight, resulting in rise of river levels.

Indore was the worst hit among the major towns and cities, after it recorded a rainfall of 263.4 mm till 8.30 AM on Saturday, August 22, breaking the previous record of 212.6 mm rainfall in 24 hours recorded 39 years ago on August 10, 1981. Several areas of Indore, particularly the low lying areas of the city, were the worst hit and remained flooded as a result of heavy rainfall. “Indore has reported an unprecedented 12-inch rainfall in the past 12 hours, but the rescue operations by State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the police are going on in all rain hit areas. “From the worst-hit localities of Hira Nagar, Banganga and North Toda areas, several families have been rescued on boats,” said Deputy Inspector General DIG (Indore) Harinarayan Chari Mishra, who himself lead the rescue operations in the city.

After 210.6 mm rainfall till 8.30 AM on Saturday, the state capital Bhopal saw many of its areas flooded with rainwater. Following heavy rainfall that hit most parts of the state, specifically the western and central parts, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister, Madhya Pradesh, held a meeting with the senior officials in Bhopal to discuss the situation.

Chouhan, in a video message, said that the rains bring relief but also lead to devastation. Unprecedented rains have hit the state and as a result most dams are filled with water and to release excess water, most gates had to be opened. The entire state government machinery has been put on high alert in all districts, especially SDRF, to deal with all sorts of emergencies.