Lightning, drowning claim 3 human lives as rain lashes Chhattisgarh; rivers swell, low-lying areas inundated

RAIPUR: At least three people, including two children, died in rain-related incidents as widespread showers continued across Chhattisgarh on Sunday and Monday, swelling rivers, flooding roads and disrupting connectivity in several districts.

While a farmer was killed in a lightning strike in Bilaspur, two siblings drowned in a water-filled pit in Gariyaband amid the monsoon spell.In Gariyaband district, a brother and sister died after falling into a rainwater-filled garbage pit near their house in Kopra town on Sunday. The children, Yogesh Sahu and Suman Sahu, aged 6 and 8 were playing outside after the rain when they are suspected to have slipped into the 10-12 ft deep pit filled with rainwater.

Their bodies were recovered after a search by family members and villagers.In Bilaspur, 65-year-old farmer Dharamdas Yadav was struck by lightning while transplanting paddy in a field along the Arpa river in Koni region. Police said he was running towards a nearby cremation ground to take shelter from heavy rain when lightning struck, killing him on the spot.The showers also triggered widespread disruption across the state.

Bilaspur town witnessed waterlogging in several localities as drains overflowed, affecting traffic movement through the day.In Raigarh, authorities opened four gates of the Kelo dam by 25 cm late Sunday after inflows increased sharply. Water flowed over a low-level bridge downstream on Monday morning, prompting authorities to advise residents to stay away from the river.In Baloda Bazar district, the Rohansi-Amethi anicut on the Mahanadi went under water after the first major spell of rain, cutting off road connectivity to dozens of villages.

Residents renewed their demand for a high-level bridge, saying they are forced to travel nearly 70 km during every monsoon once the anicut is submerged.A video from Khairagarh district showed farmers driving tractors through the swollen Aamner river despite a bridge being available about 2 km away. Officials reiterated that vehicles should not be taken through flooded rivers, warning that strong currents can sweep away even heavy machinery.Heavy rain has also begun affecting agriculture in parts of Bemetara district, where farmers in Thankhamaria said waterlogging has raised the risk of paddy seeds rotting, forcing many to drain their fields amid fears of resowing.In Rajnandgaon district, six cattle were electrocuted after coming into contact with a snapped live wire that had fallen during a storm, with villagers blaming poor maintenance of electricity infrastructure.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said rainfall remained widespread across the state.According to the seasonal cumulative rainfall table from June1 to –July 6, of the IMD portal, despite widespread heavy rain over the past 24 hours, the state as a whole is still at "normal" seasonal rainfall with an overall departure of -18%, while northern districts like Surguja and Jashpur continue to face significant seasonal deficits.IMD warningIMD has forecast widespread rain, thunderstorms and lightning across parts of Chhattisgarh and advised people not to cross flooded rivers or streams, avoid sheltering under isolated trees during thunderstorms, and stay away from snapped power lines.