12 killed in rain-related incidents in Gujarat

Atleast 12 people were killed in separate rain-related incidents in Saurashtra region of Gujarat, the police said today.

Six persons of a family drowned in Ranikpar river last evening when the vehicle in which they were travelling overturned due to flooding in Jasdan town in Rajkot, they said.

The victims have been identified as Batuk Sareriya, Geeta Sareriya, Babu Sareriya, Govind Sareriya, Sadhna and Ramesh Domdadiya, police said. Two others - Bhagwan and Sandip Sareriya - were rescued by locals with the help of fire brigade.

In Morbi town, two teenagers identified as Shiru Koli, 17, and Arif Mathakiya, 12, drowned in Macchu river.

A 45-year-old woman Rakhu Gohil of Junagadh district died after being struck by lightning when she was working in her field, the police said.

Two others - Hemlata Savaliya drowned and Geeta Dalit -drowned in Ozat river in Junagadh district.

Meanwhile, nearly 50 labourers in Shapar industrial zone here were shifted to safer places due to heavy downpour in the region during the last 12 hours after water entered in their huts on the city outskirts, police said.

Rajkot received more than 75 mm rainfall in past 12 hours, followed by Kutch-76mm, Amreli-74mm, Dhoraji-125mm, Junagadh-52mm and Bhavnagar-80mm.