Relief, restoration work intensify in flood-hit Chitrakoot as Mandakini recedes

Flood relief and restoration work intensified in Madhya Pradesh’s Chitrakoot as the Mandakini river receded after triggering flash floods. Authorities are clearing roads, supplying food and drinking water, assessing damage and restoring infrastructure, while a damaged bridge may take eight months to repair

Satna: The Madhya Pradesh government on Monday ramped up relief, restoration, and damage-assessment work in the flood-hit Chitrakoot town of Satna district as the rising water level of the Mandakini river, which triggered flash floods two days ago, began to recede, officials said.

A key bridge damaged in the flood is likely to take around eight months for restoration, they said. Satna Collector Satish Kumar S was camping in Chitrakoot, the holy town around 80 km away from the district headquarters, to monitor the situation.

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He has kept disaster-management teams and other officials on high alert across the district to deal with any eventuality. At around 6 am on Monday, the Mandakini’s water level near Arogyadham in Chitrakoot was recorded at 137.05 metres against its maximum flood level of 139.60 metres. The administration and disaster-management teams were keeping a close watch on the river and flood-affected areas, the officials said.

The collector inspected flood-affected areas, including remote localities, and interacted with residents to assess the availability of food, drinking water and healthcare. Officials were directed to provide immediate assistance and act promptly on complaints from affected people.

As the floodwaters receded, teams have begun clearing silt and mud from roads and public places. Around 2.5 to 3 km of Chitrakoot’s main road has been cleaned, while teams are set to move into lanes to clear accumulated mud and drains, the officials stated.

Clean drinking water is being supplied to affected areas through tankers, while hand pumps and other water sources are being chlorinated. Health department teams are conducting door-to-door surveys and distributing medicines, chlorine tablets and bleaching powder to prevent water-borne diseases.

Food is being provided twice a day to people whose homes were inundated and those staying at shelters through the Deendayal Rasoi scheme.

Voluntary organisations and local institutions are also distributing cooked food, clothes, blankets, tarpaulins and dry rations. Around 1,000 packets of dry ration have been prepared for distribution in Chitrakoot, they said.

The district administration has constituted joint survey teams comprising revenue, local-body and agriculture officials to assess damage to houses, property and crops. A livestock vaccination drive is also underway, while arrangements for dry firewood and tarpaulins are being made for affected families.

Meanwhile, the Chief Engineer (Bridges) of the Public Works Department inspected roads and bridges damaged by the flooding, including a bridge over the Mandakini-Paisuni river on the road from Tourist Hotel towards Hanuman Dhara. The bridge, constructed in 1985, suffered damage during the flooding. Its foundation could not be assessed as the river was still carrying a high volume of water. The existing structure could possibly be restored by laying a slab over the remaining portion, a process expected to take around eight months, the officials said.

In the meantime, authorities are exploring the possibility of constructing a pontoon bridge before Diwali to facilitate the movement of local residents and devotees until the permanent bridge is restored.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has started repair work near Pindra, where a portion of the road was washed away, besides undertaking restoration work on other damaged stretches.
Satna district has recorded 1,043.5 mm of average rainfall between June 1 and August 31, substantially higher than its normal average rainfall of 891.7 mm for the period, according to official data.