Incessant rains trigger flood-like situation in four Chhattisgarh districts; Mahanadi river crosses danger mark

Raipur: Heavy rains battered several parts of Chhattisgarh over the last two days, creating a flood-like situation in some areas of at least four districts and causing rivers, including the Mahanadi, to flow above the danger mark, officials said.

Nearly 12,000 houses in various districts of the state were partially or completely damaged due to the incessant rainfall and thousands of people were shifted to relief camps, they said.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel chaired a meeting on Friday night with all district collectors and Superintendents of Police (SPs) through video-conferencing to assess the situation and take stock of relief measures being undertaken in flooded areas, a public relations department official said on Saturday.

"Flood-like situation has been created in many districts of the state due to incessant downpour, which has sent rivers and rivulets in spate. Settlements in low-lying areas have also been inundated in several urban areas," the official quoted the CM as saying during the meeting.

Baghel instructed the officials to ensure proper arrangements for food, drinking water and health facilities to the affected people, he said.

The chief minister also asked the authorities to carry out timely evacuation of the people stranded in floods and shifting them in relief camps.

#WATCH Chhattisgarh: Flood-like situation in Raipur district following heavy rainfall in the region.
Several residential areas and roads left inundated after rains. pic.twitter.com/TrjP5mQrmr

— ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2020

During the meeting, officials said that Raipur, Janjgir-Champa, Bilaspur, Durg and Raigarh districts witnessed "record rainfall" between Thursday and Friday, while there is flood-like situation in some parts of Jangir-Champa, Raigarh, Rajnandgaon and Balodabazar-Bhatapara districts, the official said.

As many as 11,942 houses were partially or completely damaged in various districts due to continuous rainfall, while 219 relief camps have been set up in rain-affected districts for people, he said.

During the meeting, Janjgir-Champa collector said that the Mahanadi river, considered the lifeline of central Chhattisgarh, was flowing above the danger mark and he had spoken to his Sambalpur counterpart in neighbouring Odisha about opening the gates of Hirakud dam (build on that river), he said.

"The gates of Hirakud dam have been opened," he said.

In Janjgir-Champa district, around 4,000 houses were damaged due to rainfall and resulting flood and 2,091 affected people have been shifted to 45 relief camps, he said.

Similarly, in Raigarh district, 27 villages in Baramkela and Pusaur areas were affected due to the floods, wherein 2,389 people were moved to 21 relief camps, he said.

In Balodabazar district, 26 villages bore the brunt of the flood and 1,393 people were shifted to 24 relief camps there.

At least 35 people were rescued from flooded areas in Balodabazar, he said.

Rajnandgaon collector said the road link between Rajnandgaon and Kawardha towns snapped due to overflowing river on the route.

Water of Aamner river was flowing above the bridge in Khairagarh town of Rajnandgaon, he said.

The chief minister asked the rescue teams to remain alert to deal with the emergency situation.

He also instructed the collectors to deploy a joint team of staff of Revenue, District Panchayat, Janpad Panchayat, Forest Department to provide relief to the affected people, the official said.

According to the disaster management department officials, Jangir-Champa district received 211.9 mm rainfall on Friday, while Raipur witnessed 160 MM rainfall.

Other districts which saw heavy rainfall on Friday are Bilaspur (119.5mm), Durg (142 mm), Rajnandgaon (99.9 mm), Balodabazar (108.9 mm) and Raigarh (119.3 mm).

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Press Trust of India