Torrential rains have lashed the sprawling Bastar division in Chhattisgarh, causing widespread suffering.
Lighting struck five villagers. Three children including two women were rescued. Five houses have been damaged as rains hit Jargoya, Midte and Peddakorma in Bijapur and other districts of the Bastar division in the last 24 hours.
The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for six districts: Dantewada, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Sukma, Bastar and Bijapur. It said that more rain was expected.
Five villagers of Chinnakvali were injured after being hit by lightning. As rivers and rivulets are on spate, the villagers were first rescued by boat and then shifted to the district hospital in Bijapur by ambulance. All are out of danger, said Tehsildar D.R. Dhruve.
He said three children and two women were rescued and shifted to a safe place from Kokrapara in Bijapur as their houses were flooded.
More than 50 cattle have been washed away in the floods in the district.
It has been raining continuously since Saturday night. The people residing in low lying areas have been asked to shift to safer places.
The Bijapur-Gangalur road has been blocked, The Central Reserve Police Force camp at Ponjer has been submerged though the jawans are safe. Cherpal, Ponjer and Dhanora areas have been cut off. Water has entered the Modakpal police station, he said.
In Bastar division headquarters Jagdalpur, low-lying areas have been inundated.