A strong rain system has become active over Madhya Pradesh due to a trough and cyclonic circulation passing over the state, triggering widespread rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a rain alert for 31 districts, including major cities such as Bhopal, Indore, and Gwalior, as moderate to heavy rain is expected to continue for the next several days.
Since Tuesday morning, Bhopal and Ratlam have been experiencing intermittent rainfall, with cloudy skies giving way to steady showers in Bhopal after noon. Ratlam, on the other hand, has been affected by foggy conditions due to light rain. According to the IMD, rainfall is expected to continue with moderate to heavy intensity in districts including Bhopal, Guna, Ashoknagar, Raisen, Vidisha, Alirajpur, Jhabua, Bhind, and Singrauli. A rain alert has also been issued for Sehore, Dewas, Dhar, Indore, Ujjain, Shajapur, Shivpuri, Sagar, Damoh, Narmadapuram, Tikamgarh, Gwalior, Datia, Neemuch, Mandsaur, Niwari, Ratlam, Rewa, Mauganj, Sidhi, Chhatarpur, Panna, and Anuppur.
The heavy rainfall has caused significant disruptions in several areas. In Shivpuri district, the Bhadaiya Kund burst due to intense rain, and the Pawa Waterfall overflowed, with water gushing down from a height of nearly 100 feet. As waterfalls ran at full capacity, Shivpuri Collector Ravindra Kumar Chaudhary ordered the closure of all public access to local water bodies for safety reasons.
In Sheopur district, the Seep river overflowed, causing major disruptions. Traffic came to a halt between Manpur and Dhodhar as several culverts were submerged. Several villages, including Kashipur, Balapura, Hirapur, and Allahpur, have been cut off from the district headquarters. In the same district, the Parvati River is in spate, leading to the closure of the Sheopur-Baran highway due to flooding near Baroda.
The situation in Guna worsened when waterlogging at a railway underpass caused a truck carrying gas cylinders to submerge, highlighting the severity of the rains. In Lukwasa, Kolaras (Shivpuri), the residential premises of Gyan Sthali School were also waterlogged, prompting a swift rescue operation by an SDERF team. Ten people, including two children, were rescued from the hostel as water levels rose.
On Monday, Shivpuri recorded the highest rainfall in the state with 2 inches, followed by 1.25 inches in Naugaon (Chhatarpur), Narsinghpur, and Khargone. Other areas that experienced significant rainfall include Bhopal, Gwalior, Narmadapuram, Damoh, Jabalpur, Khajuraho, Mandla, Sagar, Satna, Tikamgarh, Balaghat, Barwani, Raisen, Sheopur, Ashoknagar, and Mauganj.
The monsoon arrived in India eight days earlier than usual this year, reaching Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh before schedule. However, it remained stagnant there for over 15 days, delaying its advance into Madhya Pradesh. The monsoon finally reached the state on June 13–14, a day later than usual, but spread across all 53 districts within five days. Bhind and Mauganj were the last to receive rainfall on Friday.
Senior meteorologist Dr. Divya E. Surendran stated that the active cyclonic circulation and the trough will continue to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall across central and northern parts of the state for the next four days. The IMD has advised residents to stay alert, especially in low-lying areas and near water bodies, as the risk of flooding remains high.
As the rain system continues to affect Madhya Pradesh, authorities are monitoring the situation closely, and emergency services are on high alert to respond to any potential disasters caused by the heavy rainfall.