Heavy and incessant rains in parts of Gujarat disrupted normal life with more than 200 roads closed for traffic while low lying areas have been flooded, prompting the State authorities to deploy National Disaster Response Force teams.
The State administration has deployed 13 teams of the NDRF amidst warning of heavy rains for the next few days.
Particularly in south Gujarat, torrential rains have caused waterlogging in low lying areas in Surat and other places.
“Chief Minister Vijay Rupani spoke to the Surat Collector and the Municipal Commissioner and directed them to launch rescue works, if required, in low lying areas as rain continues in south Gujarat,” a CMO statement said.
As per the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) data, Surat district received rainfall in the range of 2-6 inches (160 mm) till noon on Friday at several places, causing massive waterlogging in the villages and towns.
The State authorities have started evacuating people from the low-lying areas of Surat and adjoining places as water levels kept rising at the nearby reservoirs with incessant rains in the region.
“Several parts of the State are witnessing floods due to heavy rainfall which led to swelling of rivers and water bodies,” a statement from the emergency control room stated.
“We have deployed 13 NDRF teams across the State in view of forecast for heavy rainfall. Districts are in the state of readiness,” Pankaj Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue Department, Gujarat, posted on Twitter.
Met forecast
Meanwhile, the met department has warned extremely heavy rainfall in several parts of the State till August 17.
Jayanta Sarkar, Director, IMD-Gujarat, said there were currently multiple active monsoon systems, including cyclonic circulations over Gujarat, Kutch and east Rajasthan, which will cause heavy rainfall across the region in the next five days till August 17.
“For the next five days heavy rainfall is expected in Gujarat, Kutch and Saurashtra regions with extreme to very heavy rainfall likely at several spots. Fishermen are advised to avoid venturing into sea as we see squally weather conditions — strong winds with speed up to 45-55 kmph accompanied with rains — on the coastline,” Mr. Sarkar stated.
