By PTI
BHOPAL: Defence aircraft on Monday launched rescue operations to evacuate people stranded in some flooded villages in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh as heavy rains continued to lash large parts of the state, especially Shivpuri and neighbouring Sheopur districts, leaving two people dead, officials said.
In Sheopur, Deeraj Gurjar (45) drowned in an open water-filled pit while visiting a temple, Karahal sub-divisional magistrate Brijender Singh Yadav said.
In Shivpuri town, a 50-year-old Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), identified as Sumanlata Joshi, died due to electrocution when an electric current ran into her flooded house in the Kamlaganj area, a police officer said.
Torrential rains continue to pound the two districts in the night.
Nearly 60 people, who were stranded in a flooded building located near the Vijaypur bus stand in Sheopur district following heavy rains, were rescued after over seven hours by this noon.
#WATCH | Madhya Pradesh: Sheopur district’s Vijaypur area flooded due to overflowing Parvati river and heavy rain. pic.twitter.com/cMpXfv33Pz
— ANI (@ANI) August 2, 2021
They had gone to Vijapur to attend a marriage on Sunday night, but got stuck as floodwaters entered the premises, officials said.
“Four helicopters have reached the Shivpuri district to evacuate people from three flooded villages,” district collector Akshay Kumar Singh told PTI over the phone.
Madhya Pradesh: Indian Air Force ALH-Dhruv helicopter carried out a rescue mission in the flood-affected areas in Shivpuri, earlier today pic.twitter.com/02cNBEp5cX
— ANI (@ANI) August 2, 2021
Meanwhile, the Met department on the third consecutive day on Monday issued red and orange alerts for 25 districts in Madhya Pradesh forecasting heavy to extremely heavy rainfall.
The red alert predicted very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, ranging between 115.6 to 204.5 mm or more and thundershowers accompanied by lightning strikes, at isolated places in eight districts namely Gwalior, Shivpuri, Guna, Ashok Nagar, Datia, Sheopur, Morena and Bhind.
The red alert effectively means the situation might worsen in rain-battered Shivpuri and Sheopur districts.
Both the alerts are valid till Tuesday morning.
The orange alert warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall, thundershowers and lightning strikes has been issued for isolated places in 17 districts including Bhopal, Raisen, Rajgarh, Sehore, Vidisha, Ujjain, Dewas, Ratlam, Shajapur, Agar-Malwa, Mandsaur and Neemuch, besides Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Sagar, Niwari and Hoshangabad.
The Met department also forecasts rain or thunderstorms at most places in the districts falling under ten divisions including Bhopal, Indore and Jabalpur.
Shivpuri and Sheopur received 117 mm or 11 cm and 115 mm or 11 cm rainfall, respectively, in the last 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Rivers, drains and other water bodies are in full spate in Sheopur and Shivpuri districts, officials said, adding many water bodies are overflowing in large parts of Madhya Pradesh.
Several areas of Sheopur, located around 400 km from the state capital Bhopal, were inundated after the Parvati river breached its banks following heavy showers.
Heavy rains pounded Vijaypur tehsil in the district.
Guna’s Barod area received the highest 286 mm rainfall in west MP in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Monday, the IMD said.
Intermittent rains have been lashing most parts of the state since Sunday, it said.
The IMD’s Bhopal office on Monday received reports of waterlogging in low-lying areas of various cities in the state.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is monitoring the flood situation in Shivpuri, the CMO said, adding the state government had requested Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for the deployment of five helicopters.
“The well-marked low-pressure area over south-west Uttar Pradesh and adjoining north-west MP persists.
It is likely to move westwards gradually during the next two days,” senior meteorologist PK Saha said when asked about the cause of heavy rains in MP.
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