BHOPAL, 15 August 2006 — Record rains in Bhopal and adjoining areas since last night have brought trails of untold miseries to the citizens here and claimed 13 lives.
Nine others have been reported missing with hundreds of cattle perishing in the flashflood. In the incessant rain, properties worth millions of rupees have been damaged.
Normal life was paralyzed yesterday in over two dozen low-lying localities here as heavy downpour inundated vast areas and caused extensive damage to houses, shopping areas, shanty-towns and roads.
The army was called into the city to assist the civil administration in their rescue and relief operations. Hundreds of people from low-lying areas were also shifted to safer places.
In many localities boats were being used instead of vehicles as roads and streets were flooded with rainwater entering many houses in low-lying areas.
About 150,000 families have been affected in the rains that have lashed the city since last night and continued till yesterday noon.
The water level in the Upper Lake, the life-line of Bhopal city, had a deficit amount of water up until Sunday, was now overflowing. All the 11 sluice gates were opened to release excess water into the Narmada River.
According to Bhopal District Magistrate S.K. Mishra, 13 people were killed when their houses collapsed in the Bairagarh area and another in Rahul Nagar.
