Two dead, hundreds evacuated as rain wreaks havoc in Rajasthan; Army, NDRF on ground
A spell of heavy, very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall is expected to continue in southern and southeastern Rajasthan on Sunday.
Torrential rains have wreaked havoc across Rajasthan, leaving large parts of the state waterlogged and disrupting daily life. Two women have died in rain-related incidents, while hundreds of people have been shifted to safer locations, said officials. Low-lying areas in eastern Rajasthan were the worst hit, with road and rail connectivity severely affected.
Several villages have been cut off due to waterlogging. Districts such as Kota, Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, and Tonk are grappling with a flood-like situation, prompting authorities to step up rescue and relief operations. According to the weather department, Bundi's Nainwa received the highest rainfall of 502 mm in the past 24 hours on Saturday.
Several districts, including Bundi, Kota, Sawai Madhopur, Karauli, and Jaipur, recorded over 10 cm of rainfall till Saturday morning, leading to widespread waterlogging. Sawai Madhopur, Bundi and Tonk are the worst hit by the rains.
Army, NDRF on ground
The worsening situation has led to the deployment of Army personnel, along with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), to conduct rescue and relief work. The Air Force has also been placed on standby, with an Mi-17 helicopter already pressed into service to help the flood-affected people in Kota and Bundi areas of Rajasthan.
According to the news agency PTI sources, a Mi-17 helicopter has been positioned for rendering aid to flood-affected people in Kota and Bundi areas. The IAF is standing by for more sorties to offer humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), they said.
Disaster Relief Minister Kirodi Meena and Home Minister Jawahar Singh Bedham conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas in the Kota division and interacted with locals in Sawai Madhopur.
The ministers instructed officials to ensure relief work in all flood-hit areas and the evacuation of people to safer places.
Lok Sabha Speaker and Kota-Bundi MP Om Birla also visited flood-affected areas in Keshoraipatan and Kapren in Bundi district and issued directions for the rehabilitation of the affected people.
Two women died
In Bundi, two women died in separate incidents. A 50-year-old woman Kailshibai died after she was swept away by strong currents of flood waters in Bundi on Saturday. Police handed over the body to family members after the post-mortem later in the day.
A 65-year-old woman, identified as Manbharbai, died after a wall of a tin shed collapsed on her on a farm in Bundi. The woman was sleeping alone under the tin shed, said Ramlal, Circle Inspector at Indergarh police station.
The Army had to be called in Nainwa, Keshoraipatan blocks of the district on Friday night and Saturday noon and nearly 500 people were rescued and taken to relief camps.
An SUV, carrying around seven people, was also flooded in an overflowing brook in Bhavpura village under Lakheri police station in Bundi district on Saturday. However, rescue teams and villagers saved all seven people.
IMD predicts heavy, extremely heavy rainfall
The Met department said that a circulation system persists over southeast Uttar Pradesh and parts of eastern Rajasthan, with the monsoon trough extending across the region.
Southern and southeastern Rajasthan are expected to witness heavy to extremely heavy rainfall on Sunday, while southern and southwestern districts may experience heavy to very heavy showers on Monday and Tuesday.
(With PTI inputs)
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