Death toll in MP rains rises to 25; relief operations on

BHOPAL: The death toll in rain-related incidents in Madhya Pradesh has gone up to 25 as the government continued relief operation in half a dozen districts battered by heavy showers and floods.


Eight more deaths due to rain-related incidents have been reported, taking the number of persons who have lost their lives in the state in the last two days to 25, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said here.

"The water level in Narmada and other rivers of the State has gone down since Friday. However, water level of Narmada is still above the danger mark in Hoshangabad," he told reporters at his residence after reviewing the flood relief measures at a meeting.

Of the eight deaths, six were reported from Chhindwara district and one each from Bhopal and Hoshangabad, he said.

Heavy rains are lashing Madhya Paradesh since the last two days. Overall 134 persons, including these 25, have been killed in various incidents so far this monsoon, he said.

A total of 38,200 people from 106 villages spread over six districts were affected due to floods and the state government has taken all possible steps to provide relief to them. Two Air Force helicopters have been deployed to drop food packets and rescue people wherever required, Chouhan said.

The affected districts are Dewas, Sehore, Hoshangabad, Khargone, Harda and Betul. Chouhan directed the Health Department to deploy medical teams in the affected areas to check possible outbreak of water-borne diseases.

For providing relief to those whose houses had been damaged, the government has modified rules and it will now provide Rs 70,000 per house, instead of Rs 20,000, to the affected families for renovation/reconstruction work, he said.

Those belonging to BPL category will get a house under Indira Awas Yojna, said the chief minister, who later left for an aerial survey of the affected areas for a second consecutive day.

Meanwhile, a report from Barwani, quoting District Collector Shriman Shukla, said 1,742 people from 17 villages were rescued by authorities and shifted to safer places.

Narmada is flowing 10 meters above the danger mark in Barwani district and Chikhalda, Nisarpur, Rajghat, Chota Barda, Mortakka and Bijasan villages have become islands because of flood waters, the Collector said.