Gujarat continues to face severe disruptions as heavy rains wreak havoc across the state. On Thursday, at least two people died and several others were injured when a wall of a house collapsed in Sabarkantha’s Himmatnagar, marking the second such incident in 24 hours. The relentless downpours have claimed over eight lives, forced the evacuation of more than 800 people, and led to widespread flooding, cutting off villages and inundating low-lying areas in south and central Gujarat. This is the second incident in 24 hours in the state as heavy rains continue to wreak havoc in Gujarat.
On Wednesday, an elderly woman and her two granddaughters were killed after a dilapidated three-storey building collapsed in Jam Khambhalia town in Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district amid heavy rainfall in the state’s Saurashtra region.
So far, over eight people have been killed and 800 have been evacuated to safer places as heavy rains batter south and central Gujarat. Swollen rivers and overflowing dams have cut off several villages and inundated low-lying areas in large parts of the state.
Heavy rains pounded south Gujarat districts like Vadodara, Surat, Bharuch, and Anand since the morning, prompting authorities to declare a holiday for schools and colleges in some places. Train services were also affected in some areas.
The administration in the rain-battered districts has deployed personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local fire teams to rescue people from flooded areas and relocate them to safe places.
Borsad taluka in Anand district received 314 mm of rainfall in just four hours since 8 a.m., according to State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) data. Around 400 people were shifted to safer places after low-lying areas were flooded. Anand Collector Praveen Chaudhary said an NDRF team was pressed into service and the administration was working to rescue stranded people.
Heavy rains that hit Surat on Tuesday flooded the city and cut off several villages, necessitating the relocation of around 200 persons. The administration in Bharuch and Navsari announced a holiday for educational institutes due to heavy rains.
A team of NDRF personnel rushed to Limbada in Mangrol taluka of Surat district to rescue stranded people. As many as 132 roads in the district were blocked as a precautionary measure. Umarpada (276 mm), Palsana (250 mm), Kamrej (208 mm), and Bardoli (202 mm) in the Surat district were worst affected in 24 hours ending at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, SEOC data showed.
“Since 4 a.m., Bharuch district received very heavy rainfall, especially in talukas of Hansot, Jhagadia, Valia, and Netrang, and Ankleshwar. After 8 a.m., Jambusar in the district also received very heavy rainfall,” Bharuch Collector Tushar Sumera said. Due to heavy rains, the district administration has declared a holiday for all educational institutions.
The administration in the Navsari district relocated around 150 persons in Navsari and Bilimora cities after flooding due to rising waters in the Purna river. Rivers like Kaveri and Ambika were also flowing close to their danger marks, flooding connecting rivers and cutting off traffic movement at many places.
As many as 11 long-distance express trains were “regulated” due to the rise in water level under a railway bridge in the Vadodara division, while four local passenger trains were cancelled. The train movement was later restored in the down line, Western Railway officials said.
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