MP rains: IMD issues orange alert for 8 districts; gates of major dams opened

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday issued an orange alert warning of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in eight districts of central Madhya Pradesh.

Some major rivers in the state are in spate due to intermittent rainfall over the last couple of days, prompting the authorities to open sluice gates of some vital dams.

The IMD's orange alert forecasts very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, ranging from 115.6 mm or above, at isolated places in Bhopal, Raisen, Rajgarh, Sehore, Vidisha, Guna, Agar Malwa and Shajapur districts.

Apart from this, a yellow alert has been issued warning of likely heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places of 10 districts, and Shahdol and Narmadapuram divisions.

The IMD has also issued a yellow alert warning of likely thunderstorms with lightning at isolated places of seven divisions - Bhopal, Jabalpur, Narmadapuram, Gwalior, Chambal, Rewa and Sagar.

All three alerts are valid till Monday morning, the IMD said.

The state's lifeline, Narmada river, besides Parvati, Betwa and some other water bodies were in spate, but flowing below the danger level, said Kamlesh Raikwar, an executive engineer of the state water resources department.

The gates of 14 out of 52 reservoirs have been opened to release water, he said.

At least 12 gates of Indira Sagar, which is the state's biggest dam, 18 of Omkareshwar, eight of Rajghat and nine of Tawa dam have been opened, the official said.

A low pressure persisting over southwest Rajasthan was drawing moisture from the Arabian Sea to western Madhya Pradesh causing rainfall, said Ved Prakash Singh, senior meteorologist at the IMD' Bhopal Centre.

Apart from this, a cyclonic circulation over south-east Madhya Pradesh was drawing moisture from Bay of Bengal to eastern parts of the state, he said.

A monsoon trough passing from the two systems across the state was converging moisture from both directions, the official said.

According to the IMD, in the last 24 hours ending 8.30 am, Narmadapuram, Narsinghpur, hill station Pachmarhi, Nowgaon in Chhatarpur and Bhopal have received 60.0 mm, 64.0 mm, 51.0 mm, 47.4 mm and 46.3 mm rainfall respectively.