Bhopal: Heavy Rain Inundates Low-Lying Areas, Disrupts Daily Life; 2.5 Inches Recorded In 24 Hours

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The wall of the National Disaster Response Force’s (NDRF) office at Idgah Hills collapsed on Sunday due to the relentless rain, while heavy soil erosion from the Kaliyasot River caused cracks in the boundary wall of Bhumika Residency in Damkheda, of the Kolar satellite township.

Although no casualties were reported in either incident, the local administration has issued an alert for residents of Bhumika Residency and Sarmadha, both adjacent to the Kaliyasot River bank. Eleven gates of the Kaliyasot Dam and two gates of the Bhadbhada Dam were opened on Sunday to release excess water.

Meanwhile, people continued to struggle with heavy water-logging as the city recorded 2.5 inch (64.3mm) rainfall in the last 24 hours, said the weather department.  The torrential downpour caused water-logging in many colonies, including Sundar Nagar, Oriya Basti, Shankar Nagar, Gupta Colony, Sindhi Colony, Nadra Bus Stand, and Alpana Tiraha.

The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has deployed teams in all 85 wards to drain out the accumulated rainwater. The overflowing drain on the road leading to Kabadkhana (categorized market) posed problems for shopkeepers. The road from the bus stand to the railway station remains heavily water-logged. A brief spell of heavy rain led to flooding in Shri Ram Mandir, located in Ward 18 on Chhola Road.  

"21 Million Cubic Feet (MCFT) of water is being released every hour. Since the water released from Bhadbhada Dam reaches Kaliyasot Dam, the gates of Kaliyasot Dam were opened at 9 am."

-Udit Garg, Suptd engineer, BMC  

"Incessant heavy downpour and strong currents led to soil erosion from the Kaliyasot River, causing the boundary wall of Bhumika Residency to develop cracks. JCB machines have been deployed to fill the ditch, and residents have been put on alert."

-Ravishankar Rai, SDM