Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra was on Wednesday rescued by an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter after he got stuck at a flood-affected village in Datia district where he had gone to help the stranded people. The district has been witnessing floods due to heavy rains. Narottam Mishra reportedly got stranded when the boat carrying him to flood-hit Kotra village developed a glitch while trying to move out local residents.

The minister, on getting information about some people getting stranded on the roof of a house in the marooned village, reached there on a boat of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), an official said. However, a tree suddenly fell on the boat following which it developed a snag and stopped moving.

The minister later informed government officials about the situation. Following this, the IAF helicopter was sent to the spot to rescue him and nine other stranded villagers.

MP rain fury

The flood situation in north Madhya Pradesh turned “grim” where more than 1,250 villages were affected by the deluge following heavy rains while nearly 6,200 people were shifted to safer places with the help of the Army, NDRF, BSF and state agencies, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday. The CM, who conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas in the afternoon, said 1,950 people were still stranded and efforts were on to rescue them.

Rail services between Shivpuri and Gwalior and telecom services in Morena district were badly affected due to the monsoon fury, the CM told reporters.

“The flood situation in north Madhya Pradesh is grim…1,225 villages in Shivpuri, Sheopur, Datia, Gwalior, Guna, Bhind and Morena districts are affected,” Chouhan said.

As many as 1,281 villages are affected due to floods in the state, he said, adding that efforts are underway to rescue 1,060 people from the flood-affected areas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to Shivraj Singh Chouhan over the flood situation in Madhya Pradesh, assuring all possible support from the Centre.