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Number of people shifted to safer places due to heavy flooding had reached over 62,000 including fresh addition of over 3,000 from Rajkot district yesterday. Since September 25 morning, 20,000 more people have been evacuated from their homes in wake of flooding in Saurashtra and south Gujarat districts. As many as 13 persons have died in rain related incidents in the state since September 22, state government's Emergency Operations Cell said.
Heavy downpour was recorded in district of Rajkot, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Amreli, Bhavnagar and Porbandar in last 24 hours.
Due to water logging and breaches on rail track at some places some long distance trains had to be cancelled, Rajkot division railway officials said. They added that as many as 18 trains including eight originating from Mumbai had to be cancelled because of water-logging on railway tracks.
According Rajkot district officials Bhadar, Aji Nyari and Lalpari dam were overflowing after heavy inflow of water since yesterday. Today morning 15 gates of Bhadar dam were opened, they added.
Rajkot Fire brigade has shifted more than 3,000 people to a safe locations from areas such as Bhagavatipara, Thorada, Aambedkar Nagar, Jangleshvar which are near to Aji river.
All the markets remained closed due to heavy rain in Rajkot. Moreover, school and colleges have declared holiday till Saturday to avoid any unexpected incidents.
In Junagadh water level in dams have increased, while couple of them were reported to be overflowing. Other districts like Amreli, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar also recorded heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, according government officials the situation in south Gujarat districts of Vadodara, Bharuch, Surat and Navsari had stabilised on Thursday as water levels in Vishwamitri, Narmada and Tapi rivers started receding since yesterday night.
Water levels at Vishwamitri river in Vadodara have started stabilising at 29.8 feet. "There is no rains since morning so we expect water level to stabilise and also start decreasing. Evacuation is still on in 4-5 villages of Karjan taluka. Things are under control," said Vinod Rao, district collector, Vadodara.
The rescue work is being undertaken by Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) teams of fire brigade and with the help of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The Army still remains on stand-by in case things go out of control. However, the district administration maintained that the rescue and rehabilitation work is being successfully undertaken by the fire personnel and NDRF jawans.
Industries minister Saurabh Patel on Thursday visited the flood affected areas of Vadodara city and rural and assured people of all help and support from government. He also directed the administration of a cleanliness drive to avoid any kind of health epidemic.
In Surat too the situation was slowly returning to normal as rainfall has decreased in the city and was nearly nil in the catchment areas of Tapi river. "The outflow from Ukai dam has decreased. While the water has receded from low lying areas of the city. People have started return to their home. Latest by today evening water will completely recede from the city," said Surat district collector Jai Prakash Shivhare. He said that the district administration has initiated survey to assess the damage to property and crop due to floods, besides holding medical camp and launching massive cleanliness drive in affected areas.
The weather department has issued advisory asking fishermen not to go into the sea. They have also forecast heavy rainfall in most parts of Saurashtra and some parts of south and Central Gujarat in the next 24 hours.
Damage assessment hampered
Water-logged villages made it difficult for the government machinery to assess the damage caused by devastating rainfall in the south Gujarat region since Saturday last week. The state government has formed a team of officials led by L Chuango, principal secretary, finance department, Gujarat government to evaluate the damage caused by heavy rains. The team was appointed on Thursday.
“The assessment survey will begin from tomorrow as villages and fields are still submerged in water. The survey will cover damage to cattle, animals, crops and property. We are in touch with top officials of agriculture department and animal husbandry department for the same,” Chuango informed. District administration will also join the assessment team. Rains have halted in the most parts of south Gujarat region since Thursday morning.
“Rescue work is still on in few pockets. But overall the situation is under control and with no rains since morning, we hope water levels to subside,” a senior government official informed. However, weather department has predicted “a few spells of rain/thundershower” in the district over the next 24 hours. Meanwhile, Vishwamitri river continued to flow at 28 feet, 2 feet above the danger mark. The water level had touched 30 feet yesterday.
