Heavy rains lashed many parts of Gujarat on Saturday, claiming five lives, including one in Ahmedabad, and displacing thousands in low-lying areas at Morbi, Surendranagar, and Rajkot districts, while a number of reservoirs and rivers are overflowing.
The state government deployed NDRF teams for rescue operations in Rajkot, Surat, Valsad and Palanpur, while Air Force has been deployed for rescue efforts in Surendranagar district. District administrations of affected regions have asked citizens not to venture out of their houses. Indian Air Force personnel airlifted four persons from Gamtal village of Dhrangadhra taluka in Surendranagar.
Of the five dead, one was a Naranpura resident killed by lightning. While one person came under a wall collapse, one was swept away by floodwaters at Lodhika taluka in Rajkot, and two persons were killed by lightning.
NDRF and fire brigade teams rescued over 100 people who were stranded in Jamnagar and Morbi districts, while over 4,500 people were evacuated from inundated areas.
Heavy rains over the past 24 hours cut off around 2,500 villages. The Bhogavo river passing through Surendranagar and Rajkot districts flooded many villages downstream. Waterlogging disrupted traffic on 31 national and state highways.
With 13 dams — three in North Gujarat and 10 in Saurashtra — overflowing, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani called an emergency meeting on Saturday morning in Gandhinagar and reviewed the situation.
State principal revenue secretary Pankaj Kumar said, "The Gujarat government is in talks with the defence wings to seek their help if situation warrants. A total of 11 NDRF teams have been kept on standby in affected districts."
With 18 inches in 24 hours, Chotila taluka in Surendranagar district recorded the highest rainfall. Rajkot city, which received nine inches rainfall, saw rainwater inundating houses and streets in low lying areas.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rain at a few places, with extremely heavy rain at isolated places, over Saurashtra and Kutch during the next 48 hours.
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