Wet spell abates in MP; youth drowns

Bhopal, Aug 1 (UNI) A youth was swept away in a swollen river this morning at Dewas district's Chidanad village even as a wet spell seemed to have abated over Madhya Pradesh after lasting merely a couple of days but a warning was issued of heavy rain in Indore and Ujjain divisions over the next 24 hours.

Police said Rajmal Khati (18) had gone to attend to the call of nature when he slipped into the river. The body, which was fished out 4 km downstream at Barkheda village, was sent to the district hospital for post mortem.

A Regional Meteorological Centre official said here downpours were also likely at isolated places in other divisions. The state capital witnessed cloudy skies but no rain as compared to almost incessant showers yesterday.

Low-lying settlements were experiencing a respite from a flood-like situation. Mandsaur district's Garoth recorded the maximum overnight precipitation of 20 cm while corresponding figures were Neemuch and Chachaura 16 each, Bhopal 15, Khurai 14, Jawad and Shujalpur 13 each, Depalpur and Tonkkhurd 11 each, Sehore, Vidisha and Aagar 10 each, Mungawali, Shajapur and Ganjbasoda 7 cm each.

A UNI report from Vidisha said the Betwa river was in spate thereby severing road links with Bhopal, Raisen, Ashok Nagar, Sironj and Guna.

UNI Team-AC SHB KN2100