Rains in MP: 1,000 evacuated as Narmada overflows in two

Around 1,000 people were evacuated in Dhar and Barwani districts of Madhya Pradesh on Friday with the river Narmada flowing above the danger mark, as rains lashed all parts of the state.

At least one death in rain-related incidents was reported, alongwith cases of people being swept away in flooded rivers and going missing.

Sluice gates of seven of the 28 dams in the state have been opened due to rise in water levels, officials said.

Tushar Solanki (10) was crossing a bridge on the overflowing Balwati river on bicycle at Badnawar in Dhar district on Friday evening when he was swept away, police inspector C V Singh said.

Some passers-by pulled him out of the water but he died at hospital, the police official said.

Kapil Jatav (22) and Rohit (16) were crossing a small bridge over a swollen rivulet on motorbike when they were washed away near Bheelkhedia village in Shajapur district, said Sub Divisional Officer of Police Vijayshanker Dwivedi.

Rajkumar, a police personnel, and villager named Bheru Singh pulled out Rohit from the gushing waters and saved his life, while Jatav was still missing, he said.

Three persons on a motorbike were swept away in a swollen nullah around 11.30 pm on Mohri Road in Ashoknagar district on Thursday, police said. Two of them swam to safety, but a third rider, Mahendra Singh (40), was still missing, said police officer P P Mudgil.

Around 1,000 people were evacuated to safer places in Barwani and Dhar districts in western Madhya Pradesh where the Narmada was flowing above the danger mark following heavy downpour in the 24 hours ended 8.30 am on Friday.

A truck parked near the Khuj river was swept away in a flash flood in Dharmpuri tehsil of Dhar district. Owner Rakesh Rathore had to deploy a crane to pull it out.

An officer of the Narmada Valley Development Authority said the Narmada was flowing 7 metres above its danger mark of 123.28 meters in Rajghat village in Barwani district at 2 pm on Friday.

Fifteen sluice gates of the Bargi dam on the Narmada in Jabalpur district were opened following incessant rain in eastern Madhya Pradesh, officials said.

Rains are lashing almost the entire state for the last two days, said P K Shah of the India Meteorological Department's Bhopal office.

"Heavy to very heavy" rainfall is likely in 21 districts, including Rajgarh, Guna, Sehore, Harda and Hoshangabad and Ujjain and Indore divisions till 8.30 am on Saturday, Shah said.