Incessant rainfall has caused the death of four people in a wall collapse in Vadodara, besides causing floods and affecting life in the city. Nearly 5,000 people from over two dozen low-lying areas were shifted by the NDRF (National Disaster Response Force). Most of the roads were completely inundated.
The government has deployed nine teams of the NDRF, besides the Army and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to evacuate people from areas along the Vishwamitri river that is flowing to the danger level mark.
According to the State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC), a total of five NDRF and four SDRF teams have been involved in rescue operations in addition to two columns of the Army and as many companies of the State Reserve Police (SRP).
Additionally, district police and teams of fire brigade of Vadodara and Surat Municipal Corporations have been deployed for a major rescue operation in the city which had seen an extremely heavy downpour of 499 mm on Wednesday.
The district authorities ordered the closure of all schools and colleges on Friday. The operations at the city airport were shut on Thursday.
Waterlogging of tracks
Flooding has disrupted traffic movement as the authorities shut down all eight bridges in the city. The Western Railway has cancelled over a dozen trains due to waterlogging of tracks.
“Five teams of the NDRF have been airlifted from Pune to join the evacuation works in Vadodara. CM has deputed a team of senior bureaucrats from Gandhinagar to oversee rescue and relief works,” a Gujarat government release stated.
More than one lakh food packets were distributed by the NDRF and police in localities submerged in knee-deep waters.
According to Vadodara Collector Shalini Agrawal, water was not receding because of the opening of sluice gates of the Ajwa dam and inflow of more water due to rains in the catchment area of the Vishwamitri.
Floodwaters have entered the Sayajibaug zoo and government-run SSG hospital, besides local markets.
On Thursday evening, the State energy division restored power in some of the areas where supply was stopped after four dozen feeders were submerged. “We have restored power in some areas but still several areas are in dark,” a government official said.
“Four labourers were killed in a wall collapse due to heavy rain in Chhani area of Vadodara,” Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said after holding a review meeting in capital Gandhinagar.
