Heavy rain continued to lash parts of Gujarat leading to evacuation of over 4,500 people from Lakhtar taluka of Surendranagar district and flooding in many low-lying areas.
RAJKOT/AHMEDABAD: Heavy rain continued to lash parts of Gujarat leading to evacuation of over 4,500 people from Lakhtar taluka of Surendranagar district and flooding in many low-lying areas.
Surendranagar district in the Saurashtra area of the state which received incessant rains, has forced the district administration to seek help of army helicopters for rescue operations, district officials said here on Thursday.
"Nearly 4,500 people have been evacuated using rescue boats and efforts are still on to get people to safer locations. We have sought help from the army helicopters for the rescue operation," Surendranagar district collector J D Bhad said.
"Food packets are being distributed to the affected people. The situation is likely to be brought under control soon," Bhad said.
According to sources, a group of Agarias (salt-pan workers) are stranded in the little Rann of Kutch and a team from the district headquarters is on its way to rescue them.
Lakhtar area, which has received 478 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, has turned into a virtual island.
The situation became worse after Narmada canal passing through the region developed breaches leading to flooding in nearby regions, sources said adding the town has been marooned since last 36 hours.
State Education Minister Raman Vora and BJP spokesperson I K Jadeja have rushed to Lakhtar to monitor rescue operation, official sources said.
Heavy rains disrupted road and rail transportation and communication system. About 25 houses in Lakhtar taluka collapsed, but there was no casualties, they added.
Surendranagar district has received 227 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours, data from the State Emergency Operation Centre said. Wadhvan taluka received 372 mm, while Limbdi got 302 mm rainfall.
Heavy rains disrupted traffic on Ahmedabad-Bhavnagar road in Saurashtra. Traffic on some other roads, connecting cities and towns in the region, had also been affected, official sources said.
The Western Railway cancelled seven trains, which include Veraval-Thiruvananthapuram Express, Bandra-Bhuj Siaji Nagri Express, Saurashtra Mail, Saurashtra Janta, Ahmedabad Veraval Express and Okha-Varasani Express.
Six trains bound for the Saurashtra region have been terminated at Ahmedabad or Viramgam.
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