Chhattisgarh Floods, 26 September 2026: Kharun River Swells, Schools Closed, Gangrel Dam Gates Opened

Continuous heavy rain over the last 24 hours has created flood-like conditions in several parts of Chhattisgarh. The Kharun River has swollen, roads have gone under water in Raipur and Durg districts, all schools in the state were shut on Saturday 26 September 2026, and all gates of a major dam have been opened. “Chhattisgarh floods” was among the top searches on Google Trends India that evening.

Prepared on Saturday, 26 September 2026, 9:59 PM IST. The date is read from our publishing system’s clock. Facts are as reported by the sources listed below at that time and may have changed since.

Chhattisgarh floods at a glance

What happened in Raipur and Durg

• ANI reported at 10:49 AM on 26 September that continuous rain over 24 hours led to flood-like conditions, with the rising Kharun River causing waterlogging in riverside villages of Raipur and Durg.
• The road connecting Raipur to Patan and Durg via Mahadev Ghat was submerged, disrupting commuters. The Raipur–Bhilai road via Mahadev Ghat was also affected by waterlogging and strong flow across the road.
• In Amleshwar and Khudmuda villages of Durg district, water levels rose significantly. Roads were no longer visible in several areas and water had entered many houses.
• A PTI video shared on 26 September showed waterlogging on the Raipur–Jagdalpur National Highway.

Rivers and dams

• Dainik Jagran’s English edition reported rising water in the Indravati, Mahanadi and Shivnath rivers and waterlogging in low-lying areas of several cities and towns.
• National Herald reported that all 14 gates of the Gangrel Dam in Dhamtari were opened after the reservoir filled following sustained rain. The extra discharge raised concern for settlements downstream, and other reservoirs in the region were close to capacity.
• In Mahasamund, rising water in the Mahanadi and releases from the Gangrel Dam put 18 riverside villages on alert. Two guards stranded by floodwater at a liquor shop in Bamhani village were rescued.
• Rain submerged roads and affected connections between districts, particularly in Bastar and adjoining areas.

IMD alerts

Dainik Jagran reported that IMD issued a yellow alert for Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur, Korba, Raigarh, Janjgir-Champa, Surguja, Balrampur, Jashpur, Surajpur, Bastar, Kondagaon, Kanker, Narayanpur, Dhamtari, Gariaband, Mahasamund, Baloda Bazar, Bemetara, Kabirdham, Rajnandgaon, Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Balod, Mungeli, Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi, Sakti and Sarangarh-Bilaigarh on 26 September, and an orange alert for Korea and Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi for Saturday.

Government response

• Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai ordered all government, private and aided schools to stay closed on Saturday 26 September and urged parents to keep children at home.
• He directed district collectors to remain alert, carry out relief and rescue work, warn people in time if water levels rise or there is a danger of floods, and move people to safe places immediately if needed.
• Officials have identified safer locations for residents who may need to move.

Spillover into Maharashtra: Gadchiroli

ANI reported that around 525 people were evacuated in the Bhamragad area of Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district after floods triggered by heavy rain in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. The evacuation began on Thursday afternoon and continued late into the night. District officials said floodwaters were beginning to recede. An NDRF team helped an ailing student of the Binagonda Ashram School cross the flooded Gundenur nullah and reach the Primary Health Centre at Laheri. The district administration urged people near rivers and in low-lying areas to stay alert and avoid routes where water is still flowing.

Weather ahead

IMD forecast generally cloudy skies with a few spells of rain or thundershowers on 26 September (about 26°C maximum and 22°C minimum) and partly cloudy skies with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers on 27 September (about 29°C and 23°C), with thunderstorms and lightning possible on both days (ANI). The depression was expected to move towards southeast Uttar Pradesh and weaken (National Herald). See our weather tomorrow report for other states.

A note on names: some headlines call the system “Cyclone Arnab”. In its 26 September press release IMD calls it a depression over northeast Madhya Pradesh and adjoining north Chhattisgarh, so we use IMD’s term.

Safety tips from the reports

• Avoid low-lying areas, flooded underpasses and overflowing bridges.
• Do not travel on roads or routes where water is still flowing.
• Stay in touch with your district administration and move to a safe place immediately if authorities ask you to.
• In an emergency in India, dial 112.

Frequently asked questions

Are schools closed in Chhattisgarh?

All government, private and aided schools in the state were ordered closed on Saturday 26 September 2026. The reports we read did not announce closures for later days, so please check with your district administration or school.

Which rivers are rising?

The Kharun (Raipur and Durg), Mahanadi, Indravati and Shivnath were reported to be rising, and all 14 gates of the Gangrel Dam on the Mahanadi system were opened.

Which roads are affected?

The Raipur–Patan–Durg and Raipur–Bhilai roads via Mahadev Ghat, and waterlogging on the Raipur–Jagdalpur national highway, were reported.

Is more rain expected?

IMD forecast one or two spells of rain or thundershowers on 27 September, with the depression expected to weaken.

Sources

• ANI: Heavy rain triggers flood-like situation in Chhattisgarh (26 Sep 2026)
• Dainik Jagran (English): Chhattisgarh Rains, IMD alerts (26 Sep 2026)
• National Herald: Rains shut Chhattisgarh schools (26 Sep 2026)
• ANI: Over 500 evacuated in Gadchiroli (26 Sep 2026)
• India Meteorological Department: press release of 26 September 2026