Chhattisgarh is witnessing intense rainfall, including heavy showers in Raipur and surrounding areas since Wednesday night. The weather department has issued alerts for central and northern Chhattisgarh. An orange alert has been issued for 17 districts and a yellow alert for 11 districts.
Orange Alert Details: Districts under orange alert include Kondagaon, Kanker, Dhamtari, Balod, Rajnandgaon, Gariaband, Mahasamund, Raipur, Baloda Bazar, Janjgir-Champa, Bilaspur, Korba, Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi, Durg, Bemetara, Kabirdham, and Mungeli. These areas are likely to experience thunderstorms, strong winds of 30-40 kmph, and moderate to heavy rainfall.
Yellow Alert Zones: Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Bastar, Narayanpur, Raigarh, Jashpur, Surguja, Surajpur, Korea, and Balrampur are under a yellow alert, with possible light rain accompanied by strong winds.
Consequences of the Downpour: Bilaspur faced significant waterlogging after heavy rainfall, with residential areas like Parijat Colony and Nehru Nagar severely affected. The city also dealt with power outages and water supply disruptions. Approximately 300 mm of rain has been recorded in Chhattisgarh over the past 23 days, with 198.2 mm falling between July 1 and July 11. The average rainfall in the last 24 hours was 12.1 mm. Bilaspur registered a high of 34.2 degrees, while Durg recorded a low of 21.6 degrees.
Tragic Events: Incidents of lightning strikes in Surguja resulted in three fatalities. In Durg district, two minors were swept away in the Jamrav Anicut, with one body found. The DEO office campus in Raipur also experienced flooding. Residents are advised to remain vigilant and heed the weather warnings.