At least 26 people have lost their lives as the flood-like situation continued in various parts of Gujarat and Odisha on Wednesday.
In Gujarat, Army and NDRF teams were called for relief operations. Some districts of Rajasthan too stared at a similar crisis.
Army and NDRF teams and IAF helicopters were roped in for relief and rescue operations in the State, where at least 22 people have died in rain-related incidents. Around 300 NDRF personnel have been deployed in the State.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Chief Minister Anandiben Patel to enquire about the flood situation. Heavy rain in the last two days, triggered by a deep depression over north Gujarat and Kutch regions, has thrown life out of gear.
Some 2,500 people in Banaskantha in the north have been evacuated to safer places. “A team of the Army from the Dhranghdhra base in Surendranagar district of Gujarat and four teams of the National Disaster Response Force from Pune were sent to Banaskantha district, which is the worst affected,” State disaster control room officer, T.B. Patel, said.
Chief Minister Anandi Patel is touring Mehsana to take stock of the situation. Union Minister of State for Home Haribhai Chaudhary said the Centre was keeping a close watch and would provide all necessary help to Gujarat.
In Odisha, flood situation in northern parts became grim on Wednesday. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asked officials to evacuate people to safe places and send ODRAF personnel to the affected areas for rescue operations.
4 die in RajasthanIn Rajasthan’s Jalore district, four persons were killed in rains-related incidents. Flood-like situation continued for the third day in parts of Sirohi district following the torrential rains, officials said. — PTI
Storm in West BengalStaff Reporter writes from Kolkata:
A severe tornado-like storm hit the Haringhata block in West Bengal’s Nadia district around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, causing extensive damage. “The storm, which lasted only about a minute, has caused immense damage,” District Magistrate of Nadia Vijay Bharati told The Hindu . He said the final extent of damage was yet to be known.
The storm, with a diameter of 225 m, moved from north to south. While Haringhata was the worst-hit, the storm also affected the nearby Gaighta block in the North 24 Parganas district. “About 5,000 trees were uprooted,” sources said.
North 24 Parganas district also witnessed a severe storm around 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday that caused extensive damage to houses. “Around 400 houses were damaged,” District Magistrate Manmeet Kaur Nanda said.
