Flood-hit residents in Chitrakoot are facing a difficult recovery after the Mandakini River rose to a 23-year high and flooded homes, shops and roads.
Several bridges and approach roads were damaged, while mud and sludge covered parts of the town. Residents said livestock, food grains, books and household items were swept away as rescue and relief work continued.
Chitrakoot flood leaves homes and shops damaged
The flood situation worsened after heavy monsoon rain caused the Mandakini River to swell. The river reportedly reached around 135.2 metres, its highest level in 23 years and above the previous record reported in 2003.
Floodwater entered parts of Ramghat and nearby settlements. After the water began to recede, residents returned to find homes, shops and roads covered in mud and sludge. Cleaning teams have been working to remove the silt and restore basic services.
Residents report loss of livestock and food grains
Resident Manoj Kumar said the flooding caused major damage in Chitrakoot and nearby villages. He said bridges were damaged and many families lost livestock, food grains, books and household items.
Speaking to ANI, Manoj said, “The situation is very pathetic. The bridge here, which connects Ramghat to Hanuman Dhara, has broken. The Karwi bridge is also completely damaged. The condition is very bad. You can see the scene here in the city, around Ramghat. But I have also visited the nearby villages like Malkhana, Delora, and Gobariya, where the situation is heartbreaking. People’s goats, cows, and buffaloes have been swept away. Children’s notebooks and books are completely ruined. Their food grains, like paddy and wheat, are all spoiled. It’s truly a heart-wrenching sight. Cleaning work is going on, but people don’t even have proper arrangements for food and water yet. There is some hope from the government that they will help and provide appropriate compensation.”
Flood leaves families homeless
Another resident, Suresh Pal, said many people were left homeless and had difficulty recovering their belongings. He said some families were forced to stay on terraces as rain and flooding continued.
Pal said, “The difficulty is such that we have become homeless. What more can I say? I don’t see any facilities here. It’s been two days, and there’s still difficulty even moving on the roads. Since we are homeless, we should at least be able to gather our belongings, but there’s no such facility. Cleaning work is going on, even at night, but there is mud and many problems. I only have what I am wearing right now; everything else has been swept away. Whatever little we could save, the rain is so heavy that we are living on the terrace, in the open, with our belongings. We are just surviving. I have never seen such a flood in my life.”
“This flood is one and a half times worse than the one in 2003. We were stuck on our terrace two days ago. We were so stuck that no boats could reach us, and there was no administrative help. But by the grace of Mother Ganga, we survived. Now that we have survived, we are seeing the world; otherwise, the situation was so bad that we didn’t think there would be a tomorrow for us,” he added.
Rescue and relief operations continue
The Satna administration has started relief and restoration work in flood-affected areas. Teams from Smart City Satna and the Satna Municipal Corporation are removing mud and silt from roads. Sanitation workers and fire brigade personnel have also been deployed.
Food and drinking water are being supplied through tankers to residents returning to their homes. The district administration said more than 350 people had been rescued from flood-affected areas of Satna district, while SDRF teams continued rescue operations.
Authorities have asked people in vulnerable areas to move to temporary shelters. In Birsinghpur, SDRF personnel rescued a man identified as Ashok Dohar after he was surrounded by water.
Authorities issue Mandakini River warning
Police and local authorities have advised residents, pilgrims and tourists to stay away from the Mandakini River and damaged bridges and roads. People have also been told not to bathe in or approach the river and to follow official safety updates before visiting riverfront areas.
Although the water level has started to fall, officials remain alert because the river has risen again in some low-lying areas. Relief, cleaning and rescue operations are continuing in the affected parts of Chitrakoot.