Torrential rains have wreaked havoc across several regions of Chhattisgarh, severely disrupting normal life. The heavy downpour has led to the collapse of a newly constructed highway and bridge between Dalli Rajhara and Manpur, disconnecting around 70 villages and blocking routes to Maharashtra and Telangana. In addition to infrastructure damage, lightning strikes have tragically claimed three lives, including two farmers and a teenager.

The National Highway under construction, connecting Dalli Rajhara to Gadchiroli, Maharashtra border, worth crores of rupees, has been washed away in the first rain itself. The highway and bridge between Dalli Rajhara and Manpur have collapsed, transforming nearly 70 villages into islands, cutting off 50,000 residents from the headquarters.

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On Friday, lightning strikes claimed the lives of three individuals in different locations. In Balod district, two farmers lost their lives due to lightning, with one incident causing a mobile phone to explode. In Khairagarh district, a 15-year-old boy also succumbed to a lightning strike.

Heavy rainfall in southern Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Friday night caused rivers and streams to overflow, resulting in a complete stoppage of traffic on NH-30 in the Errabor area. Commuters were seen waiting at both ends of the road for the water levels to recede.

The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall in nine districts-Raipur, Durg, Balod, Dhamtari, Gariaband, Kondagaon, Bastar, Dantewada, and Sukma. Additionally, an orange alert has been issued for six districts- Bijapur, Narayanpur, Kanker, Mohla-Manpur, Rajnandgaon, and Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan.

The flood control room in Chhattisgarh has reported average rainfall data, with Bijapur district receiving the highest at 730.0 mm, while Surguja recorded the lowest at 138.2 mm.

The state government has deployed rescue teams and set up relief camps. Authorities urge residents to stay indoor and follow weather advisories. The state government has requested additional support from the central government to expedite relief and rehabilitation efforts.