Though flooding in Madhya Pradesh has started receding after rainfall ceded on Monday, it leaves a trail of destruction in its wake, especially in the districts along the banks of the river Narmada—which went into a spate during the past three days.
According to initial estimates, crops have been destroyed in a 7 lakh hectare area in 14 districts of the state, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday. This, even as estimates of other property loss, including damage and destruction of houses and loss of livestock, are yet to be made. Though official estimates were not given out, reports suggest that at least 10 people were killed in house collapses and after getting drowned in floodwaters.
The CM has apprised the situation in the state to Home Minister Amit Shah and union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar. He has also written to the agriculture minister seeking more time for the farmers of districts affected by floods to apply for the crop insurance scheme. August 31 is the last date to apply for the scheme.
Chouhan has assured the people, especially farmers, that the government stands with them and will try to compensate for the damage caused due to the flood. Also, all efforts for relief and rehabilitation are being made. He has directed the officials to ensure adequate and safe food, drinking water, sanitary facilities in the relief camps and villages in the affected areas. In addition, directions have been given to the health department to ensure the prevention of water-borne diseases and to restore power supply in the affected areas.
Ten districts most affected
While the flood situation hit a major part of the state in the Narmada belt, ten districts including Dewas, Harda, Sehore, Hoshangabad, Raisen, Vidisha, Balaghat, Seoni, Chhindwara, Khandwa were the most impacted.
About 11,000 people were rescued from 454 villages by Sunday night. Of them, about 264 were rescued by Indian Air Force helicopters. Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams were also pressed for rescue and relief work.
The chief minister visited the flood-affected areas in Hoshangabad district using an Army boat on Monday, interacted with the people in the marooned villages and also in other accessible areas.
21 districts receive excess rainfall
With heavy rainfall pounding the state during the past three days, none of the districts in the state are rain deficient as in August end. According to data released by the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Bhopal, 21 out of 51 districts in the state have received excess rainfall from June 1 to August 31 morning.
Overall, the state has received 13 per cent excess rain—recording 861.1mm rainfall against expected 763mm. Among the districts with huge excess rainfall is Dewas at 50 per cent excess, Sehore at 49 per cent excess, Indore and Chhindwara at 41 per cent excess and Bhopal at 40 per cent excess.
The capital has received 1113.2 mm of rainfall till now, already more than the total rainfall of 998.6mm rainfall expected during the entire rainy season (June to September).
