As many as 26 people lost their lives in rain-related incidents and other natural calamities in the last over one month in Chhattisgarh, where heavy downpour battered south Bastar in the last few days causing rivers to flow above the danger mark, officials said on Friday.
At least 247 houses were partially or completely damaged in various districts as a result of rainfall during the same period, while 10 relief camps have been set up in the rain-affected districts, they said.
As many as 219 animals have died in rain-related incidents, they said. "Of the 26 deaths reported since June 1, 13 persons were killed in lightning strikes, 11 drowned and two died due to snake bite," an official from the revenue and disaster management department said.
The districts which have witnessed heavy rainfall in the last couple of days are Bijapur, Dantewada, Sukma, Narayanpur, Kanker and Kondagaon in Bastar division, Gariabadn, Surguja and Kabirdham, he said.
Flood-like situation was witnessed in the interiors of Bijapur, Dantewada and Sukma districts due to incessant downpour in the last couple of days and the backwater of Godavari river that flows along the border of Chhattisgarh and Telangana, he said.
Indravati river, which the lifeline of Bastar region and a major tributary of Godavari, is also flowing above the danger mark, the official said. Teams of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police and fire personnel have been deployed for rescue operations, he said.
The state has received an average rainfall of 386.7 mm till Friday since June 1, with maximum of 933.2 mm rain recorded in Bijapur district during this period, the official said. Bijapur received over 400 mm rainfall in the last five days, with three persons dying in rain-related incidents in the past eight days, he said.
The district officials have been instructed to keep the rescue teams on alert to deal with the emergency situation. Officials of the revenue, district panchayat, janpad panchayat and forest departments have been asked to provide relief to the affected people, the official said.
(With PTI inputs)
