Incessant heavy rains across Gujarat forced the administration to evacuate over 10,000 people in the state, even as 19 people were reported killed in various rain-related incidents.
Incessant heavy rains across Gujarat forced the administration to evacuate over 10,000 people in the state, even as 19 people were reported killed in various rain-related incidents.
Of the total deaths, eight were killed after a compound wall collapsed on labourers in Morbi town, while a family of four, including two children, perished in Ahmedabad in a similar incident.
At least four people died after a 3-storey apartment building in Pragathi Nagar, Nadiad, collapsed on Friday night.
Pankaj Kumar, additional chief secretary, revenue department, said that so far 150 people have been rescued from flooded areas in the state in the last 24 hours. This included the rescue of 39 men and 17 boys from Mithapar and Velavadar in Bhavnagar.
The district administration is monitoring the water level of Vishwamitri river in Vadodara and said the situation was normal in the city. Two weeks ago, Vadodara was inundated after it received close to 20 inches of rainfall.
"We are continuously monitoring the low-lying areas. The level of Vishwamitri river is 28 feet. In Vadodara city, roads and bridges are operational. Schools, colleges and offices are open," said District Collector Shalini Agarwal.
Heavy rains prompted authorities to postpone the Gaun Seva Pasandgi Mandal ITI instructor exam that was scheduled to be held on Sunday.
With the rain continuing, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani held a high-level meeting to monitor relief and rescue operations. Eighteen teams of National Disaster Response Force and 11 teams of SDRF have been pressed into service. Help from the Army and Air Force is being also being sought to airlift people.
At 10.5 inches, Tankara taluka of Morbi district recorded the highest rainfall in the state on Saturday. Top five of the talukas that received very heavy rainfall were in the Saurashtra region. Torrential downpours, however, have helped reduce the rain deficit in the state. According to a government statement, total rainfall as on August 10 was 634 mm against 459mm for the same period last year.
Rajkot, Jamnagar, Morbi and Bhavnagar and Surendranagar in Saurashtra have been the most affected due to rains. Reports of the Rajkot Civil Hospital being flooded also did the rounds on social media.
Meanwhile, Skymet has said that the state will continue to get light to moderate rains although Saurashtra and Kutch will see few heavy spells. It said that the overall rain activity over Gujarat will reduce significantly except for isolated moderate spells in a few pockets.
The private weather station said the system that brought rains to Gujarat is expected to move west over Pakistan giving respite to the state.
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