Rains claim 19 more lives in Guj, toll up to 26
Ahmedabad: Gujarat is grappling with severe flooding after heavy rains claimed 19 more lives on Wednesday, pushing the total toll to 26 in just three days. As relentless showers continued for the fourth consecutive day, approximately 17,800 residents were evacuated from inundated areas, officials reported.
The latest fatalities include seven individuals who were reported missing after a tractor trolley they were travelling in was swept away by floodwaters near Dhavana village in Morbi district. Their bodies were recovered by rescue teams, though one person remains unaccounted for.
Vadodara, despite a temporary break in rainfall, is facing significant challenges as the Vishwamitri River breached its banks, flooding residential areas and disrupting daily life. Streets, buildings, and vehicles in the city have been submerged, creating a dire situation for its residents.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been actively involved in monitoring the situation. He contacted Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to assess the crisis and offered the Centre’s full support for relief efforts. In response, additional resources including three Army columns, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) units have been deployed to Vadodara to assist with evacuation and rescue operations.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted extremely heavy rains for certain districts in Saurashtra on Thursday, further complicating the ongoing relief efforts. The Saurashtra region has experienced substantial rainfall, with areas like Devbhumi Dwarka and Jamnagar receiving between 50 mm and 200 mm of rain in a 12-hour period.
Rescue operations have been intensified, with more than 5,000 people evacuated and 1,200 rescued in Vadodara alone. Chief Minister Patel has ordered the deployment of additional cleaning and disinfecting teams to manage the aftermath of the flooding and prevent the spread of disease.
The floods have severely impacted infrastructure, with 140 reservoirs and dams, as well as 24 rivers, flowing above danger marks. The state’s transportation network has also been disrupted, with 48 trains cancelled, 14 partially cancelled, and 23 diverted due to the inundation of tracks.
The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) reported that Gujarat has received 105 percent of its average annual rainfall this season, with several districts recording over 200 mm of rain in recent days.
