Heavy rain, flood situation: NDRF teams, columns of Army deployed in Vidarbha region

Many districts in east Vidarbha were facing a flood-like situation after heavy rain in adjoining parts of Madhya Pradesh forced authorities to open the gates of Chaurai dam in Chhindwara district.

Deputy Commissioner (Relief and Rehabilitation) of Nagpur Division, S B Telang, said, “A total of 148 villages from 14 tahsils in Nagpur, Bhandara, Chandrapur, Gondia and Gadchiroli districts have been affected due to the water released from Chaurai dam in Chhindwara district, following heavy rain over the past three days. There were heavy rain in Vidarbha as well, adding further to the grim situation. Over 28,000 people have been affected, of which 18,000 have been rescued so far. Rescue operations are continuing further.”

Telang added, “While damage to agriculture, mainly the paddy fields, has been restricted to areas near rivers like Pench, Kanhan and Wainganga, there has been no loss of life.”

“With rain receding in both Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha, situation improved on Sunday and is now under control,” Divisional Commissioner Sanjiv Kumar said.

Among the most affected tahsils in the region are Kamptee, Kuhi, Mouda and Parsheoni in Nagpur district, Bhandara, Paoni and Tumsar tahsils in Bhandara district and Brahmapuri tahsil in Chandrapur district. Several roads have been cut off in Bhandara and Gadchiroli districts, severing commutation from the district headquarters.

“Water from the region’s biggest Wainganga river has also entered Bhandara city, where the relief operations are on,” Telang said, adding, “Problems in Gondia and Gadchiroli districts, however, are minor.” All gates of Vidarbha ‘s biggest Gosikhurd dan in Bhandara district were opened, leading to huge influx of water in the Wainganga river.

Amravati Divisional Commissioner Piyush Singh said there was no flood-like situation in the division, comprising Akola, Amravati, Yavatmal, Buldana and Washim.

Meanwhile, officials said one column of the Army was also airlifted by the same Indian Air Force transport aircraft on Sunday afternoon.

These teams were deployed in affected areas by Sunday night. On Saturday, rescue teams from an Army establishment located in Nagpur were deployed for rescue and relief operations. The Pune-headquartered Southern Command on Sunday tweeted, “Uttar Maharashtra and Gujarat Sub Area of Southern Command of Indian Army deploys flood relief teams overnight for rescue and relief operations in submerged areas of Kuhi, Nagpur. Rescue of local villagers from flood-affected areas has commenced.”

Since last week of July, as the monsoon intensified in Maharashtra, the Pune-headquartered 5th Battalion of the NDRF has deployed its teams in western and coastal parts of state and one team in Nagpur. Even as on Sunday, NDRF has three teams deployed in Mumbai, four in Kolhapur, two in Sangli, and one each in Satara, Raigad, Thane and Pune in addition to five teams in Vidarbha region.

Each model team of the NDRF includes specialist search and rescue groups comprising engineering, technical, electrical experts along with staff dog squads and paramedics. In cases where specific requirements arise, teams are reconfigured.

Meanwhile, prediction of dry weather over the next 24 hours is likely to ease the flood situation, said Telang.