12 killed in rain fury in Bhopal

Bhopal, Aug 14: At least 12 people were killed and nine others were reported missing as heavy rains played havoc here and Army had to deployed briefly to assist the civil administration in rescue and relief operations.

Normal life in the state capital, was thrown out of gear as the city was lashed 30 cm rainfall overnight. Rain water entered low lying areas triggering house and wall collapses. Five members of a family in Bairagarh area were killed as the boundary wall of a college fell on their hut, the police said.

Army, which was deployed in low lying areas near the railway station, was sent back in the afternoon as the situation improved with let up in rains. After many years, the gates of the Bhadbhada dam on the Upper Lake were opened due to heavy inflow.

Train and road traffic remained disrupted due to landslide and waterlogging of the track between Bhopal and Bina stations. Many trains were running six to seven hours behind schedule.

About six lakh people were affected by heavy rains and 66 relief camps opened in the city to provide shelter to the affected.

Bhopal Collector S K Mishra sanctioned an ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 each to the next of kin of the dead.

Parwati, Kalisindh and many other rivers and rivulets were in spate disrupting road traffic from Bhopal to Indore, Hoshangabad and Sagar. Narmada touched danger level at Hoshangabad. Train movement was also disrupted due to derailment of the engine of Rapti Sagar Express near Midghat in Bhopal division. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, issued directives to speed up the relief efforts and to pay solatium to the affected.

Due to closure of most schools in the state capital, about 20,000 food packets prepared for the mid-day meal in schools had he been diverted to the rain-affected people staying in relief camps.

Flight operations were also disturbed in the forenoon due to heavy rains, but the situation improved with let up in rains in the afternoon.

The district authorities launched massive operation to provide relief to the affected and to disburse compensation, the official sources said.

UNI