Flash floods from torrential downpours in the in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh have killed 15 people, with seven deaths over the weekend, and left thousands of people displaced, authorities said Sunday.

Indian news channels on Sunday showed footage of inundated cities in the state, with residents forced to wade through through waist deep water.

The state chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan asked senior officials to stay vigilant for the next 24 hours as more heavy rain is forecast.

"Seven people have lost their life in the last one day, taking the overall toll to 15," Chouhan said in a video message on Twitter.

He added that some major roads were still flooded after days of heavy rain.

"We have already rescued and moved around 6,000 people to temporary shelters in the last few days. Around 500 were rescued to safer areas on Saturday," he added.

Parts of central India including Madhya Pradesh had also been some of the worst drought affected areas of the country.

India has been in grip of its worst water crisis in years, with 300 million people, or a quarter of the population, suffering from drought.