Torrential rain batters Sendhwa town, floods low-lying areas

Times News NetworkBarwani: Torrential rain lashed Sendhwa and adjoining areas of Barwani district on Friday evening, causing streams to overflow, inundating low-lying areas, disrupting road connectivity and affecting normal life across urban and rural areas.Several residential colonies including Ram Katora area were flooded as rainwater entered houses, while cars and two-wheelers parked outside homes were partially submerged. The rising water level also submerged several bridges and causeways, forcing residents in vulnerable areas to move to safer locations and cutting off connectivity between several villages and Sendhwa town.There were reports of some livestock and an auto-rickshaw being swept away by the strong flow of rainwater.Sendhwa SDOP Ajay Waghmare told TOI that water entered some low-lying residential colonies, and a municipal team was deployed to carry out relief and drainage operations.Authorities blocked both approaches to old Rajghat bridge over the Narmada river, about 5 km from Barwani, to prevent traffic movement on it. The bridge, which connects Barwani district with neighbouring Dhar, had completed its life span and was declared unsafe in 2018.

Despite this, commuters continue to use it. A new, higher bridge is already functional parallel to the old structure.Heavy rainfall also affected the Bijasan Ghat stretch along Madhya Pradesh-Maharashtra border, disrupting traffic on Agra-Mumbai national highway. The district administration and police appealed to people not to attempt crossing flooded rivers, streams or submerged causeways and advised residents of low-lying areas to remain cautious and seek immediate assistance in case of any emergency