INCESSANT rains are wreaking havoc in many districts across Chhattisgarh, particularly those in Bastar region. Heavy downpour has cut off the contact of villages with Bijapur, Kanker and Sukma District Headquarters.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Bijapur is on the verge of inundation. In district Dhamtari, rain water has inundated the roads and also entered a police station. An old man was swept away in the flooded rivulet. Godavari is in spate due to the incessant rains in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The water level of Shabari river in Sukma has also risen.

The incessant rain lashing Bijapur district for the last five days has disturbed the normal life. The connectivity of dozens of villages has snapped with the district headquarters due to flooded rivers and rivulets. Movement of traffic on National Highway- 63 has disrupted from Bijapur to Bhopalpatnam. Due to the continuous torrential rains, small and big rivers/rivulets including Talperu, Mingachal, Indravati and the bordering Godavari River are in spate. Dozens of villages including Basaguda, Silger, Farsegarh and Gangaloor have transformed into islands.

If sources are to be believed, the CRPF 229 Battalion Camp located in Mingachal is on the verge of inundation because of increasing level of water in Mingachal river.

As per official sources, the district has so far recorded an average rainfall of 810.9 mm, which is the highest till date in the state. People have also suffered loss of property due to rain. Besides three people including a security force jawan have also lost life due to the floods so far. The villagers living near the rivers are struggling to get ration. In view of the continuous rain in the district, the administration has issued a help line number and the rescue team has been put on alert. The road from Bijapur headquarters to Kutru, Farsegarh, Gangaloor, Cherpal, Toyanar, Bhopalpatnam to Sendra, Bijapur to Mirtur and Bhopalpatnam to Tarlaguda are closed due to heavy rain in the district occurring for the past five days.

Emergency health related cases are also coming to fore due to rain. The security personnel posted on the Naxal front are coming forward to extend help to villagers in need.

Recently, the home guard jawans showed their courage by taking an expectant woman across the flooded river with the help of a motor boat in the midst of a strong current. They took the pregnant woman Lakshmi Bhogam to the hospital by ambulance after crossing the flooded river in village Ghumra under Gram Panchayat Kaika.

In district Dhamtari, water has entered in Arjuni police station, creating trouble for cops. The intermittent rain occurring in the district for the last two days has worsened the situation. About two feet high water logging on road near Ratnabandha PG College is creating hindrance in traffic movement. Due to heavy rains,

the rivulets are in spate. Some villagers risk their lives by crossing the flooded rivers and rivulets. Among these, an old man got swept away while crossing such a rivulet. Another villager identified as Jaipal was swept away in the rivulet in Kukrel-Banspara in the district while crossing the overflowing rivulet in Banbagaud. The administration's team is busy in searching him. A team of home guard divers has been deployed to search the missing man. The administration has appealed people not to cross the overflowing rivers and rivulets, yet people are risking their lives overlooking the appeal. In district Kanker, the intermittent heavy rains are leading to water logging or flooding in various low-lying areas. Rivers and rivulets are in spate in various areas across the district. The connectivity of 6 villages of Rawghat area has broken due to floodlike situation. At the same time, 5 villages of Gondpal in Durgukondal area have turned into islands. Antagarh Police and BSF jawans saved the life of a youth stranded in the Froghi river. Due to the low water level, the youth was catching fish, sitting in the middle of the river. All of a sudden the water level rose. The security personnel somehow pulled him out with the help of a rope and currently admitted in a hospital. In district Sukma, National Highway -30 has been closed for the last two days. Due to the rise in level of water in Godavari, the water level in the Shabari river has reached the first warning level of 13.5 metres. In view of the rising water level of Shabri river, Sukma District Collector Harish S has put the officers on alert mode. Due to back water at Shabari, NH-30 which connects Chhattisgarh with Andhra Pradesh has heavy water logging from Konta to Bhadrachalam. A rescue operation is being run by the administration through a boat on the highway. The administration has set up relief camps at five places. These include ITI Colleges and Ashrams, Banda and Mehta Ashrams. In Andhra Pradesh's Bhadrachalam, Collector Anudeep has expressed the possibility of 21 lakh cusecs of water reaching the reservoirs located in the upper part. This could make the situation worse. The water level in Godavari will reach the danger level of 64 feet. Seeing the danger of flood in Sukma, Collector Harish S reached Konta. He took stock of ward number 15 coming in low-lying areas. Along with this, instructions were given to keep an eye on the everincreasing water level. He said that relief camps have already been set up. All facilities are being ensured. The collector said that the situation was under control now, but one has to be ready to deal with any situation. In case the water level in Godavari reaches 64 feet, the problem of back water in the Shabari river will increase further. This can lead to a loss of contact from all sides. DORNAPAL: Incessant rain has multiplied problems of the villagers in the interior areas of restive Sukma district. Many villages in such areas have turned into islands. In such a situation, residents of village Nagalguda,located at a distance of about 35 km from the district headquarters, have built a temporary bridge to meet their daily needs. This bridge is made of wood and wire, which is about 150 feet long and 20 feet high. Hundreds of villagers move through it, crossing the flooded river, to meet their daily needs. Seeing no bridge on the Malger river, the villagers were worried as they could not come to the weekly market at Mankapal, located near Nagarguda to collect daily supplies. Eventually, they thought of solving their problems own. They have prepared a bridge over the river with the help of wood and wire. With this, they are now able to go across the river and meet their relatives besides buying daily-use items from the weekly market. And at the same time, farming has also become easier for them. Although, the villagers have built the temporary bridge, but it is dangerous as it shakes badly while walking on it.