Heavy rains have created havoc in many parts of Gujarat. Many low-lying areas have been submerged due to rainwater, creating flood-like conditions there. In such a situation, hundreds of people have had to move to safer places. The Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning of heavy to very heavy rains in many districts of the state as well as extremely heavy rains at some places till Thursday morning, after which the administration has geared up. The State Education Department has declared a holiday in all primary schools of the state on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Monday held an online meeting with district collectors, superintendents of police and senior officials of all major cities including Morbi, Kutch, Rajkot, Surendranagar and Bhavnagar districts of Saurashtra region and Bharuch and Dang of South Gujarat to review the current situation. Earlier on Sunday, the Chief Minister had also directed all the district magistrates to remain alert and ensure the safety of people and their livestock by constantly monitoring the rain situation.
Patel said on social media platform ‘X’, “Hon’ble Union Home Minister Amitbhai Shah spoke to me on the phone today to get details of the situation arising due to heavy rains in Gujarat. He has assured necessary assistance, including sending more help from central forces for relief and rescue and disaster management in the state if needed.”
Hundreds of people were evacuated to safer places
So far, three people have died and seven others have gone missing in rain-related incidents in Gujarat. Hundreds of people have been shifted to safer places. At the same time, seven people have gone missing after a trolley tractor was swept away while crossing a bridge in Halvad taluka of Morbi district. According to officials, they could not be traced despite nearly 20 hours of search operation by NDRF and SDRF. In this incident that took place near Dhavna village, out of the 17 people on the tractor-trolley, 10 were rescued in a late night operation and the search for the remaining seven is ongoing.
Apart from this, a car carrying two people was swept away by the strong current of water near Katwad village in Sabarkantha district. They were rescued by firefighters after being informed by locals.
Amid heavy rains, a portion of a bridge on National Highway 56 was damaged due to strong flow of water in the Bharaj river in Chhota Udaipur district, affecting vehicular movement.
Chhota Udaipur Collector Anil Dhamelia said due to heavy rains, the water flow in the Bharaj river increased, due to which the bridge was damaged near pillar number three.
Vadodara, Anand, Kheda and Panchmahal districts received very heavy rains on Monday, causing waterlogging in low-lying areas and underpasses and stranding many people. Low-lying areas in Navsari and Valsad districts have been inundated due to rising water levels in rain-fed rivers and streams.
Employees were asked to cancel their leaves
“Three people have died in rain-related incidents in the last 24 hours, taking the total death toll this season to 99,” Gujarat Relief Commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey said.
Pandey told reporters that Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel held an online meeting with district collectors, superintendents of police, district development officers (DDOs) and municipal commissioners of all major cities to review the current situation.
Pandey said that in view of the red alert issued by the IMD, all collectors have been asked to cancel the leave of their employees. He said that South Gujarat has received 105 per cent of the average annual rainfall of this season and Kutch has received 95.8 per cent, while Central, North Gujarat and Saurashtra have received 77 per cent, 70.74 per cent and 91 per cent rainfall respectively.
Pandey said that with the help of NDRF, SDRF and Coast Guard, 1,653 people have been rescued so far. Apart from this, 17,800 people have been shifted to safer places as a precautionary measure.
According to data released by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), Khergam taluka of Navsari district recorded the highest rainfall of 356 mm in the last 24 hours till 6 am on Monday. During this period, Dang-Ahwa taluka of Dang district received 268 mm and Kaprada (Valsad district) received 263 mm of rain. Borsad taluka of Anand received 268 mm of rain, followed by Vadodara taluka of Vadodara district 262 mm and Nadiad taluka of Kheda district 232 mm.
13 NDRF and 22 SDRF teams deployed in Gujarat
According to the talks, 13 NDRF and 22 SDRF teams have been deployed in the rain-affected districts of Gujarat. In view of the possibility of heavy rains in Kutch and Saurashtra region, the collectors of the districts there have been instructed to remain alert.
State Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel told in a high-level meeting in Gandhinagar on Monday that so far 17,827 people have been relocated and 1,653 people have been rescued in the state. 13 NDRF and 22 SDRF teams have been deployed in the affected districts, which are assisting in relief and rescue operations. In the last 24 hours till 6 am on Monday, rainfall has been recorded in 244 tehsils of 33 districts. During this period, 63.36 percent rainfall has been received in the state and the highest rainfall of 356 mm was recorded in Kher village of Navsari district. In the last 12 hours till 6 pm, Padra of Vadodara district received the highest rainfall of 270 mm. Thus, Gujarat has received more than 91.88 percent of the season’s rainfall this year.
The Meteorological Department gave detailed information about the forecast of widespread and heavy rainfall in the state for the next two-three days and the issuance of red alert.
59 out of 206 reservoirs in the state are full
It is being told that out of 206 reservoirs in the state, 59 are 100 percent filled, 72 reservoirs are on high alert and 22 reservoirs are on alert and nine reservoirs have been warned of overflowing. Seven rivers have overflowed. Apart from this, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam, which is the lifeline of Gujarat, has 88.74 percent of its total storage capacity i.e. 2,96,459 million cubic feet (MCFT) of water stored. Due to rain, power supply was affected in 7009 villages in entire Gujarat, out of which power supply has been restored in 6,977 villages. Not only this, out of 6,090 electricity poles damaged by rain, 5,961 have been repaired. Recently, a total of 523 roads are closed in Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Tapi, Dang and Chhota Udaipur districts in the state.