Rains take a pause in Gujarat; CM conducts aerial survey

Ahmedabad, Aug 29 (PTI) The situation in rain-battered Gujarat improved a little on Thursday as the rains have eased, but floodwaters were yet to recede in several areas including Vadodara city following the incessant showers of the last three days, officials said.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel conducted an aerial survey of Kutch, Jamnagar and adjoining Devbhumi Dwarka districts to assess the damage.

Barring the coastal areas of Kutch and Devbhumi Dwarka districts, rains subsided during the day, officials said.

In the evening, CM Patel visited Vadodara where floodwaters of the Vishwamitri river had wreaked havoc in the last two days.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to CM Patel and took stock of the situation.

As many as 26 persons died on August 26 and 27 across the state in rain-related incidents, authorities had said on Wednesday.

In a post on X, CM Patel said, "Gujarat has been receiving incessant rains for the last three days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called me up today on the second straight day and inquired about the situation.

"He expressed concern over the floods in Vishwamitri river and wanted to know about the relief and rescue measures being taken for the people of Vadodara," the CM said.

The PM took stock of the relief measures in all the districts of the state and assured all help. He also instructed that proper sanitation measures be taken to ensure that diseases do not spread after the floods, Patel added.

Due to a deep depression over Saurashtra and Kutch region, three coastal districts -- Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka and Jamnagar -- have been receiving heavy rainfall during the last two days, said a release by the IMD, adding that parts of this region would receive "heavy to very heavy" rains on Friday too.

During the last 36 hours ending at 6:00 pm on Thursday, Mandvi taluka of Kutch district received 469 mm of rainfall, the highest in the state, said a release by the State Emergency Operations Centre.

It was followed by 404 mm of rain in Abdasa taluka of Kutch district, 355 mm in Dwarka taluka of Devbhumi Dwarka district, 303 mm in Bhanvad of Devbhumi Dwarka district, 275 mm in Kalyanpur taluka of Devbhumi Dwarka, 275 mm in Lakhpat taluka of Kutch, 259 mm in Khambhalia taluka of Devbhumi Dwarka, 234 mm in Jam Jodhpur of Jamnagar district and 183 mm in Kalavad taluka of Jamnagar.

Teams of Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), its state counterpart SDRF along with local administration are engaged in relief and rescue operations in the worst-affected districts of Vadodara, Dwarka, Jamnagar, Rajkot and Kutch, officials said.

In a release, the State Emergency Operations Centre said as many as 1,785 people were rescued on Thursday while 13,183 people were shifted to safer places in view of rainfall and waterlogging.

More than 50,000 people have been relocated and around 4,200 people were rescued from flood-affected areas in the state so far, said the release. In some cases, helicopters were used by the security forces to take people to safer locations.

CM Patel conducted an aerial inspection of Jamnagar and Devbhumi Dwarka districts and held review meetings.

At a meeting in Jamnagar, the CM was informed that 12 persons were airlifted while 450 people were rescued in the district during the day, said an official release, adding that nearly 2,300 persons were shifted to safer places and two lakh food packets were distributed.

Later, the CM along with chief secretary Raj Kumar reached Dwarka collector's office to take stock of the situation. At the meeting, the CM was informed that 130 persons were rescued with the help of NDRF as well as the Coast Guard while 1,596 persons were shifted to safer places.

At Meghpar-Titodi village of Kalyanpur taluka, eight persons stranded in floodwaters were airlifted with the help of a Coast Guard helicopter, said the release.

From Dwarka, the CM reached Vadodara city where he met a few affected residents. He then held a review meeting with top officials and took stock of the measures being taken by the administration to restore normalcy.

After being hit by incessant rains and ingress of floodwaters from the Vishwamitri river, Vadodara city was slowly limping back to normalcy as water subsided in most areas, officials said.

From its peak level of 37 feet, 12 feet above the danger mark, Vishwamitri river, which flows through the city, is now flowing at 31 feet, said a release by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation.

Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi visited the city to review the situation as well as relief operations. Some parts of the city are still facing waterlogging and electricity outage.

According to the VMC release, the water level of the Vishwamitri came down as the gates of Ajwa dam were closed on Wednesday. Water subsided in most parts including Sayajigunj, Fatehgunj, outside the Railway Station and Harni area which were the worst-affected localities, it said. PTI PJT PD NR NP KRK