The Chhattisgarh government has declared school holidays amid heavy rain, a flood-like situation

The Chhattisgarh government has declared a holiday for schools across the state on Saturday (September 26, 2026) as parts of the state were lashed by heavy rain that inundated several areas and cut off villages.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, in a post on X on Friday (September 25, 2026), announced the closure of all government, private and aided schools, saying the safety of students was the top priority.

Due to heavy rains in Chhattisgarh, keeping the safety of students at the top priority, a holiday has been declared in all government, non-government and aided schools tomorrow (September 26).

Parents should leave their children at home. Everyone is asked to be alert and avoid unnecessary travel.

— Vishnu Deo Sai (@vishnudsai) September 25, 2026

Mr Sai said the heavy rains could lead to waterlogging, rising water levels in rivers and streams and traffic problems in several areas, and that a decision had been taken to ensure that children did not face any risk.

He also directed the district collectors to carry out rescue and relief operations with full vigilance in view of flooding and waterlogging due to continuous rainfall, including Bastar division, which includes seven districts, another statement said.

“There should be no delay in providing relief to the needy people in the affected areas. Citizens’ safety should be the top priority and the administration should remain ready to deal with any situation,” the statement quoted Mr Sai as saying.

He directed officials to monitor the situation, with special attention to villages and settlements in low-lying areas and those near rivers and streams.

Incessant heavy rain lashed several parts of the state on Friday (September 25, 2026), inundating low-lying areas, swelling rivers and cutting off remote settlements in the Bastar region.

Mr. Sai asked rescue and relief teams to remain ready with necessary resources and directed district administrations, police, urban local bodies, panchayats and other departments to work in coordination so that immediate help is provided in any emergency.

He also directed officials to provide safe shelters, food, drinking water, medicines and other essential facilities as needed and asked people not to venture unnecessarily into waterlogged areas or flooded rivers and streams and follow the advice of the district office.

A rain-related death was reported in Kondagaon district where a farmer drowned on Friday (Sep 25, 2026), 40 years after he fell into a flooded drain while trying to catch fish in a partially submerged paddy field, officials said.

Between June 1, 2026 and September 25, 2026, the state averaged 1,082.4 mm of precipitation, which is 100.1% of its 10-year seasonal precipitation of 1,081.5 mm. In the last 24 hours alone, the state received an average of 52.8 mm of rainfall.

Balrampur recorded the highest rainfall of its seasonal average at 169.4% (1,527.7 mm) while Narayanpur recorded the highest cumulative rainfall at 1,600.4 mm.

However, some districts fell below normal: Surguja recorded 606.6 mm (75.5%), Jashpur 828.7 mm (79.7%), Kabirdham 672 mm (82.2%), Bemetara 597.1 mm (74.5%) and Kanker 1,110.7 mm (75.9%). Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki recorded 74.7% and Bijapur 78.7% of normal rainfall. Rainfall in Bastar, Dantewada, Bijapur, Sukma, Korba, Janjgir-Champa, Durg and Rajnandgaon was near normal.

Published – 26 Sep 2026 11:03 IST