DUE to incessant rains in the hilly regions, unprecedented flood situation, in the last many decades, occurred in the Mandakini River at Chitrakoot, Satna district, on Saturday. The day turned into a ‘Black Day’ for the residents of the entire Chitrakoot region (spanning both Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh) when the Mandakini River’s water level suddenly surged. Breaking the previous record of 139.60 meters, the water level reached an all-time high of 146.74 meters, wreaking havoc across the area. The last major flood in the Mandakini River at Chitrakoot had occurred 23 years ago, in 2003; this time, the river shattered that peak level record, causing immense economic loss to the local population. Acting on directives from the MP govt, the Satna district administration dispatched an NDRF team from Jabalpur and an additional SDRF team from Satna to tackle the disaster.

 

The sudden onset of the flood on Saturday caught everyone off guard, leaving locals with no time to prepare themselves to combat this crisis. Overflowing monsoon streams along the Satna-Chitrakoot route caused significant delays, taking the SDRF relief and rescue team several hours to reach Chitrakoot from Satna district. The Chitrakoot police team emerged as guardian angels, rescuing people trapped in the floodwaters. Led by SDOP Chitrakoot Rajesh Banjare and Station In-charge Nitesh Tiwari, police personnel were seen rescuing residents from their rooftops using boats. Meanwhile, Majhgawan SHO Aditya Narayan Dhurve remained steadfast in relief and rescue operations alongside his team, despite waterlogging and the blockage of the main road in the Majhgawan area. Officials including Majhgawan SDM Mahipal Singh Gurjar, Chitrakoot Tehsildar Kamlesh Singh, and Chitrakoot CMO Ankit Soni, along with municipal council staff, were engaged in relief and rescue operations.