Rain and floods claim 15 lives, cause destruction in MP

Fifteen people have died since Friday across Madhya Pradesh in devastation caused by three days of continuous rain and resulting floods, including building collapses in Sagar and Satna districts, officials said on Saturday.

The authorities have enlisted the help of the Army and called for helicopters to be used for rescuing people marooned by floods.

Seven members of an artisan's family died and three were seriously injured early on Saturday in Baniyani Ghat area of Rahatgarh in Sagar district when their house collapsed due to continuous rain, police said.

The collapse resulted in the death of Manu Rani (55), Vikas (18), Vipin (13), Sanjana (10), Kallu (30), Sarla (25) and Tamanna, who was one-and-a-half-years old.

The three injured are in a serious condition in a hospital.

In Maihar town in Satna district, a newly built, three-storey building with construction workers' families living in it collapsed amid heavy rain on Saturday, burying many people under the rubble, police said.

Four people have so far been pulled out of the rubble; many more are feared trapped and efforts are being made to rescue them, the police said.

The building was constructed by Madhya Pradesh Housing Board, a state government agency.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met reporters here and discussed the situation brought about by the rain and floods.

He confirmed the incident in Satna and said a rescue and relief operation was underway.

Rescue operations are also underway elsewhere in Satna, Rewa, Panna and other districts to save people trapped by floods, Chouhan said.

The government has also been setting up relief camps in safer places for people in flood-hit areas to find shelter in, he said.

--IANS

sp/kb/bg