RAIPUR: Monsoon gathers momentum in Chhattisgarh and weather department has issued orange and yellow alerts in eight to ten districts in next 24 hours, cautioning of heavy to very heavy rainfall across the state.
Major rivers, dams, reservoirs, and rivulets are in spate and chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has directed the disaster management teams, district collectors, SPs and civic bodies to ensure arrangements for water-logging and flood-affected areas. He said to continuously monitor the water level of rivers and streams. The district collectors have been asked to ensure arrangements for temporary relief camps in the nearby buildings in the flood affected areas.
According to an official of the meteorological department, the monsoon trough is located in its normal position. While, an upper air cyclonic circulation is extending upto 5.8 km altitude over North Odisha.
As the cyclonic circulation has intensified further over interior Orissa, there is possibility of heavy rain at some places and extreme heavy rainfall activity to be witnessed in one or two districts of remaining divisions except Surguja division. Besides, thunderstorms accompanied with the heavy rainfall may occur at one or two places in the state, he added.
However, several regions including Kabirdham, Bemetara, Balodabazaar, Raigharh, Raipur, Mahasamund, Durg, Dhamtari, Bastar, Kondagaon are set to witness light to moderate rains as the regions have been stated yellow alert. While, regions including Balod, Kanker, Bijapur, Rajnandgaon, among others have been issued an orange alert by the meteorological department, said the MET scientist, H.P.Chandra.
The heaviest rain has been recorded in Bijapur from Friday night to Saturday at 8.30 am, where it rained 484% more than the average for a day. Bijapur has recorded 144.4mm of rain. Whereas, in Bhairamgarh it is 96mm. Bhopalpatnam has received 61.3mm of rain and Usoor 32.4mm.
Dhamtari recorded 91.7mm and Korba's Kartala recorded 94.6mm on July 23. On the other hand Bastar received 167mm, Tokapal received 76.4mm, Dantewada witnessed 116.5mm of rainfall.
Rain continues in the urban and rural areas of the capital city. There is a flood like situation in Kharun river and its tributaries. The highest rainfall of 27.4mm was recorded in the Mana region of Raipur district, Abhanpur recorded 17.3mm, Arang recorded 13.7mm, Raipur city recorded 8.5mm, and Tilda recorded 8.3mm. The Meteorological Center received 6.9mm and Labhandi near Agricultural University received 6.4mm of rain.
