AGAMI 24 KALAK MA AA 4 RAJYA MA BHARE THI ATI BHARE VARSAD NI AAGAHI
Four persons were killed and over 6370 persons were evacuated to safer places as heavy rains and floodwaters that wrecked havoc in many parts of Gujarat, forcing the state government to seek the help of Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army, Saturday.
Four persons were killed and over 6370 persons were evacuated to safer places as heavy rains and floodwaters that wrecked havoc in many parts of Gujarat, forcing the state government to seek the help of Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army, Saturday.
Two rain-related deaths were rep
orted from Amreli and
Rajkot districts of the state, while two others were killed and eight
injured when a private bus fell off an over-bridge at Gambhoi near
Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha district, official sources said. “The bus was
coming from Rajasthan and was headed to Ahmedabad. It was a normal
accident,” said P Swaroop, Collector, Sabarkantha. These deaths are in
addition to the 61 persons who have already died across the state, in
rain-related incidents, this monsoon.
Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani personally visited the
State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) at Gandhinagar and took stock of
the flood-situation. From the control room, Rupani called up officials
of the Surendranagar district, which has been one of the worst affected
areas.
Assistance of the Indian Army and the Air Force were also
sought. Armymen rescued 35 people including a 3-day-old infant stranded
across Godara river in Kuda village near Dhrangadhara. “Having received a
requisition from the state government around 12 pm, the Indian Army’s
Golden Katar Division mobilised one column (about 80-100 personnel) of
troops along a medical team and one engineer task force carrying
specialised equipment to bolster the ongoing rescue and relief work in
the worst flood-affected district of Surendranagar,” said defence
spokesperson Wing Commander Abhishek Matiman. The Army is also
distributing food and medicines to those affected by the floods.
Four MI-17V5 helicopters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were
also pressed in for rescue work. At least 14 persons were airlifted,
including 11 who were stranded on a rooftop in Malia Miyana village of
Morbi district. A helicopter was also called in to recuse people from
three different villages in Limbdi, Sayla and Chotila talukas of the
Surendranagar district. However the NDRF and other rescue teams deployed
on ground extricated the stranded villagers before the helicopter
arrived, official sources said.
The IAF helicopter however rescued a person who was
stranded inside a marooned “Dargah” in Limbdi taluka of the same
district. “Additional requests have been received from the civil
administration as reports last came in with three aircraft currently
engaged in ongoing missions at various locations. We have also received a
request from Dhandhuka area of Ahmedabad were 70 people are stranded,”
Matiman added.
Among those evacuated in the state, 2620 persons belonged
to Morbi district, where Maachu dam overflowed. Another 2,245 persons
were evacuated from Pipadiyad, Miyava, Dharadungari, Chotila, Untadi and
other villages in neighbouring Surendranagar district in operations
that began late night on Friday. Another 250 persons were evacuated to
safety in Rajkot.
Meanwhile, 95 roads including two national highways were
closed and damaged due to heavy rains and electricity supply to 294
villages was cut-off. Traffic on state and national highways remained
affected including those plying on Ahmedabad-Rajkot, Dhandhuka-Limbdi,
and Samakhiyali-Morbi highways, after heavy rains lashed the state.
There was no train service between Samakhyali-Maliya
Miyana-Wakaner-Surendranagar-Viramgam section due to water logging at
Maliya Miyana and release of water from machhu dam.
In Desar in Vadodara district, one man was injured when an
old structure collapsed. Collector P Bharati said, “The rainfall
situation in the district is normal. So far no villages have been put on
an alert. One man sustained minor injuries in Desar in a house collapse
and was rushed to the hospital. He is stable now.”
According to Panchmahal district Collector, SK Langa, “Villages around the Hadaf irrigation scheme have been put on an alert. The high flood level of the water body is 166.20 meters (above sea level) and we are maintaining it at 164.5 meters (above sea level) by releasing about 24800 cusec water from three open gates. Jambughoda received heavy rainfall over night, but since the area has a hilly terrain, it has not caused any disruption.”
According to Panchmahal district Collector, SK Langa, “Villages around the Hadaf irrigation scheme have been put on an alert. The high flood level of the water body is 166.20 meters (above sea level) and we are maintaining it at 164.5 meters (above sea level) by releasing about 24800 cusec water from three open gates. Jambughoda received heavy rainfall over night, but since the area has a hilly terrain, it has not caused any disruption.”
Between 830 am to 530 pm on Saturday, Ahmedabad received 86
mm rainfall, followed by Deesa (76mm) and Gandhinagar (71mm). The local
meteorological department has forecast “heavy to very heavy rain at few
places” in the state on Sunday.