At least four people lost their lives and three remain missing after a section of the Luti reservoir dam collapsed in Chhattisgarh’s Balrampur district, triggering a sudden flash flood, officials confirmed on Wednesday. A government spokesperson said, “Four persons, including a woman and her mother-in-law, died while they were sleeping in their homes. Three persons remain missing, and search operations are ongoing.”
The district administration and police teams rushed to the site in Dhaneshpur village after the breach was reported late Tuesday night following heavy rainfall. The reservoir, constructed in the early 1980s, released a torrent of water that swept through nearby houses and agricultural fields, causing widespread damage. The recovered bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.
Earlier this week, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai conducted both aerial and ground surveys of flood-affected areas in the Bastar division, including Bastar and Dantewada districts, which had already experienced heavy rainfall that claimed eight lives. Following the visit, the CM instructed officials to accelerate relief and rehabilitation efforts, emphasizing prompt assistance for affected families.
Over 2,000 residents had been evacuated in previous flash floods that hit Dantewada, Sukma, Bijapur, and Bastar districts. The floods had killed eight people, claimed 96 livestock, damaged nearly 495 houses, and destroyed 16 culverts and bridges, officials said.
During his visit to a relief camp in Chuditikra ward, Dantewada, the CM interacted with evacuees, assuring them of government support, including continuous provision of food, clean drinking water, and safe shelter.
