Madhya Pradesh is seeing another spell of intense monsoon activity, with Dindori receiving continuous rain since around 5 am on Wednesday. Rivers and streams in the district have risen sharply, and the water flowing over some culverts has disrupted road connectivity to several villages. The weather department has also issued an alert for extremely heavy rainfall in Tikamgarh, Panna and Narsinghpur, where 100 to 200 mm of rain could fall in the next 24 hours.

The situation in Dindori remained unsettled through the morning as rain continued without a significant break. Local reports said water levels in rivers and drains were rising and dozens of villages had been cut off from the district headquarters. The Roara drain was also reported to be overflowing, with water flowing over a culvert. Officials are keeping an eye on low-lying areas as the rain continues.

Weather expert Shailendra Kumar Nayak said the depression that was active over Jharkhand on August 18 has made eastern Madhya Pradesh one of the main centres of rainfall activity. The system is influencing Vindhya, Bundelkhand and Mahakoshal, where heavy to extremely heavy rain is expected on August 19. Rain activity is likely to gradually spread towards central and western parts of the state between August 20 and 24.

The rainfall comes at a time when Madhya Pradesh is still running below its normal seasonal rainfall. According to the Meteorological Centre, the state has received around 573.1 mm, or 22.6 inches, of rain so far. Normal rainfall for this period is around 651.4 mm, or 25.6 inches. That leaves the state about 12 per cent below normal, with the eastern region recording a deficit of around 16 per cent and the western region around 9 per cent.

Several districts continue to remain in deficit despite the latest spell. In the eastern part of the state, districts across the Jabalpur, Rewa, Sagar and Shahdol divisions have recorded below-normal rainfall. Dindori, Panna, Narsinghpur, Tikamgarh, Jabalpur, Katni, Mandla, Rewa, Satna, Sagar and other districts are among those facing rainfall deficits. Some districts have recorded deficits ranging from 4 per cent to more than 50 per cent.

The western part of the state has also seen uneven rainfall. Areas including Indore, Dhar, Ratlam, Neemuch, Raisen, Sehore, Ujjain, Vidisha and Shivpuri are among the districts that have recorded below-average rainfall. At the same time, districts such as Anuppur, Shahdol, Sidhi, Singrauli, Umaria, Bhopal, Gwalior, Khandwa, Khargone and Rajgarh have received more than their normal rainfall.

The changing weather pattern is also being watched because of the water level in major reservoirs. Nine gates of the Bargi Dam have been opened to release water, adding to the need for caution in downstream areas. With rivers and local drains already running high, further heavy rain could create problems in low-lying villages and on rural roads.

The current spell follows an uneven monsoon season. June ended with a rainfall deficit, while July saw periods of heavy rain followed by breaks in monsoon activity. Another strong weather system became active towards the end of the period, improving rainfall in several areas, though the overall deficit has not yet been fully recovered.

For now, the focus remains on eastern and central Madhya Pradesh, particularly Dindori, Panna, Tikamgarh and Narsinghpur. If the current system remains active, officials may have to monitor roads, bridges and water bodies closely. Residents in areas near rivers and overflowing drains have also been advised to remain cautious as the situation develops.