Hundreds relocated as heavy rains batter south, central Gujarat districts; trains affected

AHMEDABAD: Hundreds of people were evacuated after swollen rivers and overflowing dams cut off several villages and inundated low-lying areas in many parts of Gujarat amid torrential downpours on Wednesday, officials said.

Normal life was thrown out of gear as heavy rains pounded the south and central Gujarat districts like Surat, Bharuch and Anand since morning, prompting the authorities to declare a holiday for schools and colleges in some places, they said.

Train services were also affected in some areas.

The administration in the rain-battered districts 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 4 hours since 8 am, State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) data showed. Around 400 people were shifted to safer places after low-lying areas were flooded, officials said.

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 relocation of around 200 persons, officials said.

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, an official said. As many as 132 roads in the district were blocked as a precautionary measure.

Umarpada (276 mm), Palsana (250), Kamrej (208) and Bardoli (202) in the Surat district were worst affected in 24 hours ending at 6 am on Wednesday, SEOC data showed.

“Since 4 am, Bharuch district received very heavy rainfall, especially in talukas of Hansot, Jhagadia, Valia and Netrang, and Ankleshwar. After 8 am also, Jambusar in the district received very heavy rainfall,” Bharuch Collector Tushar Sumera said.

Due to heavy rains, he said, the district administration has declared a holiday for all educational institutions.

“Our teams are keeping a close eye on waterlogging in Bharuch city... By and large, the situation is under control,” he said.

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 that cut off traffic movement at many places, said officials.

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, Western Railway officials said. The train movement was later restored in the down line, they said.