Incessant rain batters Maharashtra, MP, Assam

Incessant monsoon rains wreaked havoc in parts of the country, killing seven persons in Madhya Pradesh, four in Maharashtra and one in Assam.

The northern states, however, witnessed fluctuating monsoon activity with heavy rains lashing some parts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, Delhi getting light rainfall and Haryana and Punjab experiencing dry weather conditions.

Madhya Pradesh has reported seven more flood-related deaths since Sunday. The toll in rain-related incidents in the state has now mounted to 22. Five persons each have died in Bhopal and Jabalpur and three in Vidisha. One person each was killed in Raisen, Rewa, Sagar, Mandla, Tikamgarh, Seoni, Damoh, Sehore and Agar-Malwa districts, an official of the Chief Minister's Office said. The government agencies leading relief and rescue operations have escorted 7,000 people out of flood-hit areas.

The MeT office said heavy rains are likely to hit Guna, Neemuch, Mandsaur, Ratlam, Ujjain, Shajapur, Rajgarh, Sehore, Agar-Malwa, Bhopal, Indore, Raisen, Jhabua, Alirajpur, Hoshangabad, Harda, Dhar, Khargone, Khandwa, Shivpuri and Sheopur districts today.

Meanwhile, four persons were killed and as many injured in incidents of house collapse due to heavy rains in Maharashtra's Nandurbar district that received 390 mm of rains since Sunday. Nashik was battered by incessant rains and received a whopping 1,899 mm of precipitation. Due to the downpour, the water level in Gangapur dam, which supplies drinking water to Nashik, has risen to 47 per cent.

The Godavari river, which flows through Nashik, is in spate and raging flood waters have submerged many temples located on its banks. Heavy rains in and around Pune over the last few days have raised the water level in the four dams that provide water to the city. The collective water level in these four dams -- Temghar, Varasgaon, Panshet and Khadakwasla -- has gone up to 10.05 TMC on July 11 against 7.19 TMC, recorded in the corresponding period last year, an Irrigation Department official said.

One person was killed after being swept away by flood waters in Assam's Morigaon district while the situation in five other affected districts remained "critical". About 1.35 lakh people have been hit by the devastating floods that have destroyed embankments and roads.

The situation in flood-ravaged Mayong revenue circle is also critical as 60 villages under Pokoriya and Ghagua local revenue units are inundated, affecting over 70,000 people, Kumar said, adding mechanised boats were used to evacuate them. The six districts affected by the floods are Lakhimpur, Golaghat, Morigaon, Barpeta, Jorhat and Dhemaji.

• Monsoon rains
• Incessant rains
• flooding