Heavy Rains Cause Devastation in Madhya Pradesh, Resulting in 11 Deaths

Heavy rainfall in Madhya Pradesh led to 11 deaths and significant disruptions, including a medieval-era fort wall collapse in Datia. Rescue operations are underway with the aid of NDRF. Schools and offices in Gwalior are closed, and the weather is expected to improve in the coming days.

Heavy rains in several parts of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday resulted in 11 deaths, including seven in a wall collapse in Datia, prompting Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to chair a high-level meeting to provide relief to people, officials said.

Three persons died in Gwalior, where more than 500 persons have been rescued from flooded areas, while one person died in Bhind, the officials said.

Seven persons were killed after a wall of a medieval-era fort adjacent to a house collapsed due to heavy rains in Khalkapura area in Datia town at 4 a.m.

A National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF) team flew in from Hyderabad, Telangana, during the day and joined rescue operations in Gwalior, which received 198.4 millimetres of rain in a 24-hour period ending at 8:30 a.m. Schools from nursery to Class VIII as well as offices in Gwalior have been ordered to remain shut on Friday and Saturday, an official said.

The heavy rains battering Gwalior and Chambal regions in the north of the state since Tuesday is expected to abate in the next two days, India Meteorological Department's Bhopal Centre official V S Yadav told PTI.

The depression or rain bearing system, which entered the state's eastern part on September 7 after passing through central, south and west of the state, has now moved over to the north. The depression was lying over south-west Uttar Pradesh close to Gwalior and causing torrential rains in north MP, the meteorologist said.

Rajgarh in west MP received the highest rainfall of 355.6 mm in the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 a.m., he said, adding another depression from the Bay of Bengal is likely to strike MP from its eastern part on September 15 and is expected to cause rain for two-three days.

MP has received 1022.4 mm rainfall so far against its 949.5 mm normal monsoon average from June 1 to September 30. The average rainfall in MP from June 1 to September 12 morning is 874.44 mm. Therefore, MP has received 17 per cent more rainfall so far. West and east MP have received 21 per cent and 12 per cent surplus rain, respectively, Yadav said.

Sheopur district in north MP has recorded 1079.3 mm showers against its normal season rainfall quota (June 1 to September 30) of 630.5 mm, which is 103 per cent of the average, he added.

(With inputs from agencies.)