Rains batter Mumbai, Kolkata; 3 die in Gujarat

Torrential rains swept parts of the country, claiming three lives and triggering fears of floods in Gujarat even as the situation in deluge-ravaged Assam improved marginally. Heavy showers pounded parts of Maharashtra, West Bengal, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, and affected normal life in the metro cities of Kolkata and Mumbai.

Downpours in Surendranagar, Rajkot, Morbi, Amreli, Junagadh, Gir Somnath districts of Gujarat claimed three lives and led to a flood-like situation in the region. The Chotila area in Surendranagar district gauged a massive 350 mm of rains, the state government said. The weatherman has warned of "extremely heavy rains" at a few places in southern Rajasthan and Gujarat on Sunday.

Heavy rains also pounded Ahmedabad which received over 100 mm of precipitation since Friday night. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Air Force and other agencies have so far rescued 214 stranded people. Over 6,200 people in the region have been shifted to safer places. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani held a meeting with officials at the state disaster control room in Gandhinagar to take stock of the situation and the rescue operation. Ten state highways and 65 roads have been damaged due to rains. The Rajkot-Ahmedabad national highway was closed due to water-logging.