Rajasthan Floods Leave Trail of Death and Destruction
Rajasthan floods cause deaths and disruption. Rescue efforts ongoing.
Torrential rains have unleashed chaos across Rajasthan, with Sawai Madhopur facing severe flooding that claimed the life of 20-year-old Monty Tanwar, whose car was swept away by powerful currents on National Highway 552 at Kushalidarra. The tragedy occurred as Tanwar was traveling to Indore after leaving his family in Niwai, according to DSP Rural Pintu Kumar, with search operations ongoing for others potentially affected.
The relentless downpour, which began Thursday night, has created a flood-like situation in Sawai Madhopur, submerging residential colonies, disrupting traffic, and halting all railway services. The Sawai Madhopur railway station’s tracks were inundated, stopping trains like the Sriganganagar-Kota Express, Jaipur-Bayana, and Bhagat Ki Kothi-Indore Express, while the Jaipur-Mumbai and Ajmer-Jabalpur trains were rescheduled. Tourist safaris at Ranthambore Tiger Reserve have also been canceled, a forest official confirmed.
A devastating incident at Surwal Dam saw a boat carrying eight to ten people capsize, with villagers rescuing three individuals while searches continue for the missing, said Deputy Superintendent of Police, City, Uday Singh. In other tragedies, a man drowned in Ajmer while bathing at a dam during his birthday celebration, and in Jaipur’s Chaksu area, a woman perished in the swollen Dhundh River after the couple’s motorcycle was swept away, though locals saved her husband.
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The crisis extends beyond Sawai Madhopur. In Bhilwara, 17-year-old Deepak from Raghunathpura drowned at Govta Dam, and the Eru River is in spate after Bijolia tehsil recorded 170 mm of rainfall. Kota saw residents navigating flooded roads, while many villages in Bundi have lost contact with district headquarters. Schools in Baran, Jhalawar, Kota, and Bundi remain closed until Saturday, and the Army has been deployed in Kota’s flood-hit Digod area, with Collector Piyush Samaria and Energy Minister Hiralal Nagar assessing the situation.
The India Meteorological Department reported that Sawai Madhopur received 254 mm of rain in 24 hours—the state’s highest—prompting a red alert for Kota and Bundi on Friday and for Chittorgarh and Bhilwara on Saturday. An orange alert covers nine other districts for the weekend, with more rain forecast for eastern Rajasthan, keeping authorities on high alert.
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