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The river, a tributary of the Narmada, swelled to dangerous levels early Saturday morning, submerging homes, sweeping away vehicles, and disrupting life across several low-lying areas.

The floodwaters surged at around 4 a.m., inundating Ward No. 9 and surrounding colonies. Residents were seen scrambling to salvage belongings as water entered homes and shops.

Two four-wheelers were washed away near a small culvert, according to local BJP leader Om Soni and resident Ramesh Solanki. Drums, merchandise, and other small items were also lost in the current.

District administration has confirmed that some houses were severely affected and their occupants were relocated to safety and teams from the revenue department, police, and the State Disaster Emergency Response Force (SDERF) were deployed to manage the situation.

The river has come to swelling after 19 years, however the flood is receding now, a government official said. The impact extended beyond Rajpur. Nearby towns such as Ojhar and Balsamund also experienced flooding, with homes and markets submerged.

The local administration has suspended electricity supply in affected areas after nearly 20 transformers were submerged. Power department teams are on standby, awaiting safer conditions to restore services. The sudden rise in water level has left many stunned, as the river had remained relatively calm for nearly two decades.

In the last 24 hours, Barwani district recorded an average of 48.5 mm of rainfall, with Rajpur receiving 49 mm, Sendhwa 94.02 mm, and Warla 85.2 mm.

As the floodwaters recede, authorities remain on high alert, urging residents to stay away from riverbanks and flooded zones.

Relief operations are expected to intensify in the coming days as the district begins recovery efforts from this sudden natural calamity.

Meanwhile, the Bhopal centre of India Meteorological Department has issued a flash flood advisory for several districts in western Madhya Pradesh, warning of low to moderate flash flood risk over the next 24 hours due to expected heavy rainfall and saturated soil conditions in districts of Alirajpur, Barwani, Betul, Burhanpur, Dhar, Harda, Indore, Jhabua, Khandwa, Khargone, Ratlam, and Ujjain.

Residents in these areas are advised to remain alert, particularly in flood-prone zones and near riverbanks, as sudden water accumulation may disrupt local mobility and pose safety hazards.

- IANS