At least 24 people died across Madhya Pradesh in rain-related incidents in the last two days. The Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have evacuated around 11,000 people from rain-hit districts to safer places.
Casualties have been reported from Katni, Chhatarpur, Raisen and Sehore in the last 36 hours.
Torrential showers reduced during the day on August 30, providing a respite, after pounding for two days.
Rescue operations
Manish Rastogi, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that personnel of the Army and the NDRF were carrying out massive rescue operations with boats and other gear.
Total of 257 people, including 193 from Sehore, 61 from Raisen and three from Balaghat, were airlifted to safer places with the help of IAF choppers on August 30.
On the second consecutive day, Chouhan conducted the aerial survey of flooded areas in Harda, Hoshangabad, Sehore, Raisen and Vidisha districts.
‘Not received so much rainfall since 1999’
Earlier on August 30, he had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the floods.
The chief minister said: “I explained the entire situation to PM Modi today morning. We are being given his support. I am happy that we continued the rescue operations overnight.”
India Today quoted Chouhan as saying that the state has not received so much rain since the year 1999 and that the deluge has affected over hundreds of villages in Madhya Pradesh.
On alert
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has asked the state to remain on alert on August 31 too.
IMD Bhopal centre's meteorologist Hari Shankar Pandey told news agency PTI that a low-pressure area causing heavy rainfall lies over eastern Rajasthan, adjoining western MP.
Thus, heavy rainfall is expected in Indore, Ujjain, Shajapur, Ratlam, Dewas, Jhabua, Alirajpur, Mandsaur and Neemuch in the next 24 hours.
