Ahmedabad: As flood waters recede in Banaskantha district, 17 members of a family have been found dead in Kharia village.
The authorities have recovered 29 bodies from this village alone, since July 20. The death toll in the floods is at 111.
The State’s emergency control room said 25 bodies were found on Wednesday as rescue teams reached the marooned villages. Officials fear more deaths in the interiors, which have remained under water for three days.
“At least 17 bodies in Kharia and seven in Sihori village were fished out while one body was found from the interiors,” said Akshayrajsinh Makwana, a senior police official from Banasantha.
Both villages were among a dozen that were inundated when authorities released 1.5 lakh cusec water from Dantiwada dam on Banas river.
On Wednesday, the Indian Air Force and Army intensified rescue operations, mobilising a dozen choppers and motorboats to reach interior villages where thousands of people are still stranded.
“More than 650 people were rescued by agencies on Wednesday, including 272 through Air Force choppers,” Principal Secretary (Revenue) Pankaj Kumar said. “So far 111 people have died, including 58 who were swept away in flood waters, 33 struck by lightning, 11 in wall or house collapsesand six by electrocution,” said Gujarat’s Revenue Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama. He said families of those who have died will be compensated by State and Central authorities.
More than 53,000 people were relocated while over 3,000 stranded in far-flung villages and towns were rescued by the NationalDisaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, Army, Border Security Force and the Indian Air Force. Power supply in 778 villages in Banaskantha and Patan districts, disrupted by torrential rains and heavy flooding, was being restored by the government’s energy department.
Meanwhile, the State has already received more than 65% of the season’s average rainfall, with North Gujarat receiving over 200% ofthe average rainfall till Wednesday.
Of the 203 dams and reservoirs, 31 are filled to the brim, 41 are filled to more than 70% of their capacity, while remaining are filled to over 50%.
