Heavy rain disrupts normal life in MP; schools shut in Bhopal

Heavy rains swept across Madhya Pradesh on Monday, throwing normal life out of gear, flooding low-lying areas and prompting district administrations to shut schools in Bhopal, Dindori and several other districts as a precautionary measure.

Bhopal bore the brunt of an intense spell of rain that began on Sunday night, leaving several parts of the state capital waterlogged and disrupting traffic. Movement along the VIP Road was affected in the morning after a tree fell across the road.

With the skies showing little sign of relenting, the Bhopal district administration declared Monday, 10 August, a holiday for students from Nursery to Class 12 in all government, private and aided schools affiliated with the MPBSE, CBSE, ICSE and other boards.

The administration said the decision was taken in view of the heavy rainfall and prevailing weather conditions across the district.

The closure order came after several students had already reached their schools before the announcement was made and were subsequently sent back home.

Rain swells rivers, disrupts connectivity

The deluge was not confined to Bhopal. Dindori and several other districts also declared school holidays as heavy rain raised concerns over overflowing water bodies and disrupted road connectivity.

The rain left its mark across Raisen, Sehore, Vidisha, Shajapur, Shivpuri, Harda and Shujalpur, with water levels rising in several areas.

In Raisen, the Ramlila Ground was inundated, while rivers and streams in Sehore and Shyampur swelled following persistent rainfall.

Shajapur recorded around four inches of rain within six hours, turning roads and open spaces into waterlogged stretches. In Shujalpur, heavy showers that began around 3 am brought relief to farmers and traders, even as the intense spell raised concerns about water accumulation in vulnerable areas.

Authorities have stepped up monitoring of low-lying pockets, roads and bridges, keeping a close eye on rising water levels and the possibility of further disruption.

IMD warns of more heavy rain

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that the wet spell is likely to persist across large parts of Madhya Pradesh.

According to the weather agency, a low-pressure area and an associated cyclonic circulation are influencing weather conditions over the region, while the monsoon trough remains active.

For Monday, the IMD has forecast very heavy rainfall at isolated places over West Madhya Pradesh, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning.

Rajgarh, Vidisha, Sehore, Harda and Dewas have been placed under an orange warning for extremely heavy rainfall, with some locations likely to receive up to eight inches of rain within 24 hours.

Heavy rain has also been forecast in Ujjain, Agar-Malwa, Shajapur, Khandwa, Raisen, Narmadapuram, Betul, Pandhurna, Chhindwara, Narsinghpur, Sagar, Damoh, Jabalpur, Guna, Shivpuri and Sheopur.

With the monsoon continuing to unleash heavy showers, authorities remain on alert as swollen water bodies, waterlogged roads and vulnerable low-lying areas pose fresh challenges across the state.

With IANS inputs