Four persons died in rain-related incidents and more than 2,000 were shifted to safe locations as heavy rain lashed Gujarat, swelling rivers and dams and causing floods in several parts, including Rajkot.
After incessant rain lashed the State, especially the Saurashtra region, several rivers and dams and reservoirs overflowed in the last few days.
According to officials, hundreds of people in the Rajkot, Jamnagar, Morbi and Surendranagar districts had been shifted to safer places from areas near rivers and dams. In Rajkot, officials have asked citizens not to venture out as roads were under knee-deep water.
NDRF teams deployed
“We have deployed several teams of the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force at various places on Saturday. The Indian Air Force has also joined the rescue operations,” Principal Secretary (Revenue) Pankaj Kumar said after a meeting of officials convened by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
Mr. Rupani held an emergency meeting with top officials to take stock of the situation. He instructed District Collectors, panchayat officials and the police to be on alert. Chief Secretary J.N. Singh and Mr. Pankaj Kumar held a video conference with the Collectors on the situation in the districts that received the maximum rainfall in the past two days.
“The district administration of Surendranagar rescued 12 persons stranded at Bharda and three more in Surendranagar town,” Mr. Pankaj Kumar said.
Heavy rain predicted
The weather department has predicted heavy rain across the State in the next 48 hours. The State Emergency Operation Centre said that a high alert had been issued for seven of the 203 dams, and an alert for four because of a constant inflow of floodwater.
Meanwhile, the flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh continued to be a matter of concern.
During a visit to the Aalo area in West Siang district on Saturday, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju met farmers whose crops were damaged due to the floods, and assured them of help from the Centre and the State.
He asked officials to expedite the supply of medicines to the villagers as there was a threat of malaria.
Mr. Rijiju said he had asked the administration to prepare a detailed report on the damage.
“The Centre released funds to the State government on Thursday. The State is working round the clock to restore roads and essential supplies, as landslips and rain have caused heavy damage,” he said.
( With inputs from PTI )
