Flood Fury in Chitrakoot: 1,438 Evacuated as Mandakini Swells, Three Killed in House Collapse

Floodwaters continued to disrupt life across Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna district on Thursday, with more than 50 villages affected by the rising Mandakini River. Authorities have so far evacuated 1,438 people to safer locations as the district administration, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) maintain round-the-clock rescue and relief operations.

The flooding began affecting the district on August 29 following heavy rainfall and a sharp rise in the Mandakini's water level. Several low-lying areas remain inundated, forcing residents to leave their homes and disrupting road connectivity and daily activities.

Satna District Magistrate Pulkit Garg said around 650 houses have been damaged so far, including nearly 70 that have completely collapsed. Teams are conducting surveys in affected areas to assess the extent of damage and identify families requiring immediate assistance.

Relief camps have been set up for evacuated residents, with essential food and other supplies being distributed. The NDRF has evacuated 1,438 people, while SDRF teams have rescued around 100 others from areas surrounded or cut off by floodwaters. Boats and other rescue equipment are being used to reach vulnerable locations.

The floods also resulted in a tragic loss of life in Barachhi Gram Panchayat under the Kotwali Karvi police station area. A kutcha house collapsed after heavy rain, killing three members of the same family, District Magistrate Garg said. The administration is providing assistance to the bereaved family while relief operations continue in the area.

The Mandakini remains a key concern for officials. Its water level was recorded at around 138.52 metres, close to the danger mark. Authorities are maintaining continuous surveillance as further rainfall could worsen conditions in vulnerable areas.

The flooding has also affected transportation in neighbouring parts of the district. The Mukundpur route in Maihar was closed after water began flowing over bridges, disrupting connectivity and raising concerns about further road closures if water levels rise.

The wider weather situation across Madhya Pradesh also remains active. The Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in Tikamgarh and Damoh, while an orange alert is in place for 13 other districts, including Gwalior, Bhind, Datia, Guna, Ashoknagar, Chhatarpur, Niwari, Panna, Sagar, Raisen, Narsinghpur, Chhindwara and Pandhurna.

Weather experts expect the system to move further on September 4, potentially bringing significant rainfall to several divisions of the state. Madhya Pradesh has received 714.2 mm of rainfall so far this season, compared with the normal 799.9 mm for the period, leaving the state with an overall rainfall deficit of around 11 per cent.

With more rain forecast and the Mandakini already running close to its danger level, authorities remain focused on evacuating people from vulnerable areas, protecting road connectivity and preventing further loss of life.