Heavy Rain Floods Chhattisgarh, Shuts Schools Across Eight Districts

Heavy rain caused widespread flooding, waterlogged streets, and severe traffic delays across Chhattisgarh on Friday. One rain-related death was reported in Kondagaon, where a 40-year-old farmer drowned after falling into a flooded drain while trying to catch fish in a partially submerged paddy field. District administrations closed government and private schools in eight districts, including Dantewada, Bijapur, Kondagaon, Kanker, Bastar, Gariaband, Dhamtari, and Durg, while also postponing quarterly exams in those areas. The worst damage occurred in the Raipur, Bastar, and Durg divisions, where overflowing streams flooded roads and homes. In Jagdalpur, floodwaters entered low-lying houses and covered parts of National Highway-30, cutting off traffic between Raipur and Jagdalpur. Authorities issued a flood alert along the Indravati River, and the Bastar collector ordered local officials and Home Guards to monitor the situation. Several villages in Sukma and Bijapur were completely cut off by floodwaters. Dhamtari reported rapid water level rises in major reservoirs. By 8 am, Gangrel reservoir reached 98.14 percent of its capacity, Murumsilli reached 100 percent, Dudhawa reached 97.21 percent, and Sondhur stood at 88.18 percent. Authorities opened 10 gates at Gangrel to release 54,950 cusecs of water, sending 48,950 cusecs into the Mahanadi River and 6,000 cusecs into a canal through the Rudri barrage. Meanwhile, police diverted traffic on the Raipur-Durg National Highway due to waterlogging near Chandandih, and parts of Raipur saw significant street flooding. The state has recorded normal monsoon rainfall overall. The Revenue and Disaster Management Department stated that between June 1 and September 25, Chhattisgarh received an average of 1,082.4 mm of rainfall, matching its 10-year seasonal average of 1,081.5 mm, with an average of 52.8 mm falling in the 24 hours leading up to Friday morning. The Meteorological Centre in Raipur has forecast light to moderate rain across most places in the state for the next 24 hours, along with isolated heavy rain and thunderstorms.