Bhopal has been receiving heavy rainfall since Saturday morning, and the Meteorological Department has issued a heavy rain alert for 12 districts of Madhya Pradesh. The situation turned serious on Friday when a three-storey house collapsed in Indore, cars were swept away in Rajgarh and Neemuch, and rescue teams were deployed in several regions.
In Ammar Nagar, Khajrana area of Indore, a house built near a drain collapsed due to waterlogging. No official toll has been confirmed yet. In Rajgarh, a car carrying 26-year-old Vishal Soni, son of local BJP leader Mahesh Soni, fell from a bridge into the Kalisindh river. Rescue teams have been searching for him.
Madhya Pradesh weather alert
Flood-like scenes were reported across districts. In Ujjain’s Khachraud, villagers rescued a man after his car was swept away while crossing a culvert. In Sheopur, police and locals used a boat to take a pregnant woman from Dimarchha village to hospital.
Dr. Rajesh Meena, Block Medical Officer from Ratangarh in Neemuch district, said their vehicle narrowly escaped disaster when it got stuck in a river. “Our Bolero was caught in the strong current and was almost washed away. We survived because the vehicle hit a tree. Locals pulled us out,” he said.
The heavy rains forced authorities to open gates of several dams. On Friday evening, 15 gates of Indira Sagar Dam in Khandwa, eight of Kundalia Dam in Agar-Malwa, three of Halali Dam in Raisen, and one of Johila Dam in Umria were opened. In Bhopal, the Bhadbhada Dam gates were also lifted after the big pond reached capacity.
Dr. Divya E. Surendran, senior scientist at the Meteorological Department, explained the cause. “Three strong rain systems are active in Madhya Pradesh. These include a low-pressure area and two troughs. The activity is expected to continue, which is why heavy rain warnings have been issued in many districts,” she said.
According to the department, Madhya Pradesh has already recorded 40.6 inches of rain this season, 110 percent of the expected figure. Guna has received the highest rainfall so far at 63.1 inches, about 30 inches above normal. Sheopur and Mandla have received 55.8 inches each, while Shivpuri recorded 53.3 inches. At the other end, Khargone, Khandwa, Burhanpur, Barwani, and Shajapur have received the least rainfall.
Forecast for major cities
The affected districts under heavy rain alert are Ujjain, Neemuch, Mandsaur, Ratlam, Agar-Malwa, Jhabua, Dhar, Shajapur, Rajgarh, Guna, and Sheopur. Rainfall in these districts could reach between 2.5 and 4.5 inches in the next 24 hours.
Officials are urging people to stay away from flooded areas and avoid crossing culverts. Rescue teams are on alert in vulnerable zones.
| City | Temperature (°C) | Forecast |
|---|---|---|
| Bhopal | 25 | Heavy rain |
| Indore | 26 | Light to moderate rain |
| Ujjain | 24 | Heavy rain |
| Ratlam | 24 | Heavy rain |
| Neemuch | 23 | Heavy rain |
| Rajgarh | 25 | Heavy rain |
| Dhar | 25 | Heavy rain |
| Shajapur | 24 | Heavy rain |
| Guna | 26 | Heavy rain |
| Sheopur | 27 | Heavy rain |
| Mandsaur | 23 | Heavy rain |
| Agar-Malwa | 25 | Heavy rain |
For now, residents across Madhya Pradesh are bracing for another round of downpours, hoping the worst has already passed.
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