A team of Home Guard jawans helped a tribal woman deliver a baby on the banks of a swollen river in Chhattisgarh's rain-hit Bijapur district on Sunday, police said.
The Home Guard personnel were involved in rescue work in the rain-affected areas of the district when they were alerted about a woman who had to be shifted to a sub-health centre for delivery in the morning, a senior official said.
Sarita Gondi started experiencing labour pains even as the jawans were shifting her to a rescue boat to take her across a river near Jhorgaya village in Gangaloor tehsil of the district, he said.
The district administration had received a call from the family of the woman, who was in the advanced stages of pregnancy, seeking help to cross a river that flows along the village to reach a sub-health centre, he said.
The river was in spate due to the heavy rains that lashed the area for the last few days, the official said.
The administration alerted the Home Guard office in Bijapur, following which the rescue team swung into action, he said.
The woman's family had brought her to the river bank on an indigenous bamboo stretcher.
On reaching the spot, the rescue team attempted to move her to a boat, when she went into labour, the official said.
The woman gave birth on the stretcher itself, and both the newborn and the mother were taken across the river on a rescue boat and admitted to the sub-health centre in Reddy village, he said.
The woman and newborn were said to be fine, the official added.
A flood-like situation was witnessed in the interiors of Bijapur, Dantewada, Sukma and Narayanpur districts due to incessant downpours in the last few days and the backwater of Godavari river that flows along the border of Chhattisgarh and Telangana, officials said.
The Bastar division comprises seven districts - Bastar, Kanker, Kondgaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Sukma.
State Industries Minister Kawasi Lakhma on Saturday visited Bijapur and Sukma districts to take stock of the situation emerging out of the incessant rains.
District officials have been instructed to keep the rescue teams on alert to deal with emergencies, while officials of the revenue, district panchayat, janpad panchayat and forest departments have been asked to provide relief to the affected people, they said.
Heavy rains continue in Kerala, water in some dams reach red alert levels
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In Kerala, heavy rains continue to lash various parts of the state. The water levels in several dams, including the Mullaperiyar and Idukki, in the state are reaching their respective storage capacities and some even reached red alert status on Sunday.
According to figures provided by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), water in six dams -- of which four are in Idukki -- under the control of Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) are at red alert levels and in one at orange alert level.
The dams where water reached red alert levels at 11 am were -- Ponmudi, Kallarkutty, Erattayar and Lower Periyar in Idukki, Kuttiyadi in Kozhikode and Moozhiyar in Pathanamthitta districts of the state.
An Orange alert was announced in Poringalkuthu dam in Thrissur, KSDMA said.
Later in the evening, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, referring to weather reports and KSDMA data, said an orange alert has also been announced in Meenkara irrigation dam in Palakkad.
Besides that, blue alerts have been announced in Neyyar and Mangalam irrigation dams in Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad, respectively, the Chief Minister said in a release.
It also said the water level in Mullaperiyar dam has reached 135.75 feet and once it reaches 136.60 due to the rains, Tamil Nadu will release water from its side through the spillway and therefore, nearby residents should be vigilant and take precautions.
The water levels in the Mullaperiyar dam were holding steady at 135.7 feet at 12 pm due to reduction in rainfall in the area during the preceding hours, an official from the control room set up in Idukki district had said earlier in the day.
The Chief Minister, in the release, also said water was being released from Malankara, Siruvani, Kuttiyadi, Kallada, Karapuzha, Kanjirappuzha, Peechi, Maniyar, Bhoothathankettu, Moolathara and Pazhassi dams in the state and people nearby these dams should take precautions.
He also said, in the release, that according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a yellow alert has been declared in Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod districts for the day and for tomorrow in Idukki, Malappuram and Kasaragod districts.
Vijayan asked people to be careful of wind hazards as strong winds are expected in the state and advised those living in low-lying areas, near river banks and hilly areas prone to landslides to be alert.
He said, in the release, that 23 relief camps have been set up in various districts of the state and 1,485 people have been shifted there.
Meanwhile, 23 people have died so far in rain-related incidents, 11 were injured, three are missing, 81 houses have been completely destroyed and 1,278 homes were partially damaged, the release said.
Heavy rainfall in East Rajasthan, more rains expected in next 4-5 days: MeT dept
JAIPUR: Heavy rainfall coupled with thunderstorm occurred at isolated places in East Rajasthan while several places received light to moderate rain in 24 hours ending 8.
30 am on Sunday, the weather office said.
Srinagar in Ajmer recorded 7 cm rainfall, 6 cm each in Bhadra and Sujangarh, and 5 cm each in Tonk tehsil, Begun, Hindoli, Baswa, Ratangarh and Suratgarh.
Various places recorded 1 cm to 4 cm rainfall during the 24 hours, it said.
MeT department regional director Radheshyam Sharma said Baran, Kota, Bundi, Tonk, Ajmer, Nagaur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Barmer districts are likely to receive heavy rains with thunder at some places.
He said in the next four to five days, East Rajasthan is very likely to get rain coupled with thunderstorm at most places and heavy rain in some places.
On July 19, there is a strong possibility of very heavy rain at one or two places and heavy rain at some places in Jaipur, Bharatpur, Ajmer and Kota divisions, he added.
Guv visits flood-hit areas in Telangana, interacts with local residents
Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Sunday visited flood-affected areas in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district and interacted with the residents at relief camps.
The Governor, who visited flood relief camps, also distributed hygiene kits, medicines and other relief materials.
Tamilisai Soundararajan tweeted: "Distributed Hygiene Kits, Tarpaulins, Medicines and Food Packets to the public at flood relief camp in Ashwapuram Village #badrachalam District, organised by @IndianRedCross Society".
In a series of tweets, the Governor also said she visited flood-affected Pamulapalli village and interacted with the locals and assured necessary support in consultation with the district administration.
The Governor further said she heard the grievances of the people at Battilagumpu village and assured them that it will be conveyed to the district administration for necessary assistance.
Heavy rains (recently) and inflows led to a massive rise in water level in Godavari river (though it started declining on Saturday) at Bhadrachalam town in Telangana.
Such massive water level and flooding was witnessed in 1986, some residents recalled.
Several localities in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district continued to remain in water on Saturday.
The state government has shifted several thousand people to relief camps in view of the flood in the district.
Heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand's Chamoli damages NH-7
Meanwhile, an ANI report said that due to the heavy rainfall in Chamoli district, the road at National Highway-07 has been extensively damaged.
Traffic with caution has also been restored in two severely damaged locations of Km. 398+500 (Karanprayag) and Km. 419+900(Pursari) and the contractor is in the process of restoring the road in full width.
Recent media reports have alleged that the government has engaged a blacklisted company for the execution of the prestigious Chardham Project.
National Highways and Infrastructure Development (NHIDCL) hereby clarifies that no blacklisted contractor is engaged on any of its projects and the selection of contractors for its projects are made after a prescribed due diligent process.
The companies engaged are executing a number of Central and State Government infrastructure projects
The roads are being constructed on EPC mode in which the contractor is responsible for the restoration of defects for four years even after construction. NHIDCL is committed to building high-quality highway infrastructure in the country.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)