Madhya Pradesh floods: Death toll rises to 24 in rain-hit parts of state

Bhopal: The fatality count in rain-related incidents in flood-ravaged Gwalior and Chambal divisions of Madhya Pradesh increased to 24 throughout the state.

The authorities said that the flood situation is slowly improving and at present "no life-threatening" scenario exists in the region, where rescue and relief work is currently on.

“The death toll in the rain-related incidents in the flood-hit parts of the state has risen to 24. These fatalities were recorded between August 1 and 7,” Revenue Secretary Gyaneshwar Patil said, according to news agency PTI.

Till Friday, officials pegged the number of deceased at 12, on Saturday the death toll was reported to have reached 24.

The flood situation in north Madhya Pradesh had turned grim earlier this week, where more than 1,250 villages were affected by the deluge following heavy rains. 

Gwalior, Shivpuri, Sheopur, Datia, Ashok Nagar, Guna, Bhind and Morena districts were affected as the region was being pounded by rains for the whole week.

However, from Thursday, the intensity of rainfall in the two divisions started going down.

"No life threatening situation due to flooding exists in Gwalior and Chambal divisions at present,” Divisional Commissioner Ashish Saxena said.

Addressing 'Anna Utsav' programme earlier in the day, state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that 8,832 people were rescued from the flood-affected parts of the state, while 29,280 others have been shifted to safer places from these areas so far.

Saxena said that around 50 people, who were stuck in flooded areas of Ashok Nagar district in Gwalior division, have been moved to safety.

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Indian Air Force (IAF) have reached Ashok Nagar for the rescue operation, he said, adding that Army columns are also scheduled to reach the affected areas.

"The rescue operation in the affected areas is almost over and relief work is gathering steam," the official said.

Meanwhile, P K Saha, senior meteorologist with the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) Bhopal office said that Ashok Nagar and Guna districts in Gwalior division received 32.0 mm and 164.1 mm rainfall, respectively, in 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Saturday.

"The low pressure area is lying over northern parts of east Madhya Pradesh and its neighbourhood now. It was over central parts of north Madhya Pradesh and neighbourhood on Friday," he said.

With its shift to east MP, the flood situation in Gwalior and Chambal is likely to improve as rain activity is likely to lessen from Saturday.

In a series of tweets in the morning, the chief minister said, “I took a stock of the flood situation and the ongoing rescue operation this morning in Guna, Ashoknagar, Vidisha districts. Rescue operation of IAF resumed this morning. The teams of SDRF and NDRF are also working since night to rescue the people trapped in villages.”

He said that during the rescue operations carried out using helicopters, 15 persons each were rescued from Barri and Sirsora villages of flood hit Ashok Nagar district on Saturday morning.

Six more persons were rescued from Vasunia Ghat village from the same district and shifted to a safer place. From Vidisha district, the teams rescued six persons, who were trapped on a tree at Riniya village of Vidisha district, he said.

Meanwhile, state Congress chief Kamal Nath visited the flood-affected people in the region on Saturday.

(With inputs from news agencies)