Gujarat Rains Highlights: Army joins rescue ops in Vadodara, death toll in rain-related incidents across state at 26

Following incessant heavy rainfall in Vadodara, the city is facing severe waterlogging in places.

Rain-related incidents claimed 19 more lives in Gujarat, taking the toll to 26 in three days, while around 17,800 people were evacuated from flood-affected areas as heavy showers lashed parts of the state for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday, officials said.

The deceased include seven persons who went missing after the tractor trolley they were travelling in was swept away while crossing an overflowing causeway near Dhavana village under Halvad taluka of Morbi district on Sunday, a police official said, adding their bodies have been recovered.

Even as rains took a pause in Vadodara, it grappled with flooding in a large swathe of low-lying areas after the Vishwamitri river, flowing through the city, breached its banks and entered residential localities, inundating buildings, roads and vehicles. (PTI)

Rescue operation underway at Kirti Mandir Government Quarter in Vadodara as several people are stranded amid a flood-like situation due to heavy rainfall.

After heavy rain, Valsad district health system is in action mode. Spraying of insecticides and powders to prevent epidemics in flood-affected areas is currently underway.

While talking about the flood situation in Gujarat today, Rushikesh Patel, Gujarat Health Minister said while talking to ANI today, "...We have rehabilitated more than 5,000 people today and more than 12,000 people have been rescued...Vishwamitri River flows through Baroda and water has entered both sides...those people who are trapped there, we have arranged all the facilities to provide them food and medicines...NDRF, SDRF and the Fire team have been sent here to take essential items to the people who are trapped"

Vaishno Devi Underbridge In Ahmedabad heavily flooded following rainfall.

Amid heavy rains in Gujarat, the Indian Coast Guard has rescued 13 fishermen on board a boat adrift in the Arabian Sea off the coast in the state's Devbhumi Dwarka district, the maritime security agency said on Wednesday.

Acting on an SOS message from the owner of the fishing boat ‘Padmawati' on Tuesday, the ICG deployed its advanced light helicopter (ALH) and a ship for their rescue, it said in a statement.

The vessel was around 15 km from Dwaraka and had suffered a machinery breakdown due to rough weather and inclement sea conditions off the coast, it said.

“The ICG, as ‘First Responder At Sea', immediately deployed an ALH helicopter to take stock of the situation. Meanwhile, ICG ship Abheek was diverted for the rescue operations, despite adverse weather and very rough sea conditions,” it said.

In a nightlong operation, the ship towed the boat amid hostile weather conditions and brought it to Okha safely on Wednesday morning. All 13 crew members were safe, said the statement. (PTI)

Vadodara District Education Officer (DEO) has declared schools and education institutions to remain closed on Thursday. Meanwhile, 10 female students were rescued from KG hall hostel in Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara.

NDRF rescues 51 persons from Sheetal Nagar in Akota area of Vadodara. With many parts of Gujarat’s Vadodara city remaining inundated on the second consecutive day, the situation is “alarming” and the Army has been called in to carry out relief and rescue work, the state government said on Wednesday. "In addition to a team each of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF along with a column of the Indian Army already working in the city to help stranded people, we have pressed into service three new Army columns and one more team each of NDRF and SDRF to evacuate people and distribute food packets," Health Minister and government spokesperson Rushikesh Patel said.

With many parts of Gujarat's Vadodara city remaining inundated on the second consecutive day, the situation is "alarming" and the Army has been called in to carry out relief and rescue work, the state government said on Wednesday.

Some areas were under 10 to 12 feet of water, said Health Minister and government spokesperson Rushikesh Patel.

The Vishwamitri river which flows through the city crossed the danger mark of 25 feet on Tuesday morning following heavy rains and the release of water from Ajwa dam, he told reporters here after a review meeting with senior officials.

"Water level of Ajwa Dam is 213.8 feet at present. We have closed the gates so that no additional water goes into Vishwamitri river. The river is currently flowing at 37 feet, well above the danger mark. Water has spilled into the city and many areas are flooded," he said.

Four columns of the Army are at present engaged in relief and rescue work in the city, the minister said.

Siddharth Nagar, Akota, Harni-Sama road, Fatehgunj, Munjmahuda and Vadsar were among the worst-affected areas, said Patel, adding that more boats have been sent to expedite the relief and rescue work. (PTI)

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reviewed the rain situation today through video conference with the District Collectors and Municipal Commissioners of the State from the State Emergency Operation Center.

Traffic halted on Khambhaliya-Dwarka highway in Devbhumi Dwarka district as a section of the highway goes under water following torrential rains on Wednesday. Video courtesy of Gujarat Information Department.

Of the five persons who were missing after a tractor-trailer which they were riding was swept away in a river in Dhavana village of Morbi on Sunday night, two more found dead. With this, death toll in the incident has gone up to five while three more are still missing, say government officers in Morbi district.

Three reported missing as car is swept away in a flooded river in Moti Khilori village of Rajkot. Several districts of Saurashtra region, especially Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Porbandar and Rajkot received very heavy rainfall in 24 hours ending 6 am on Wednesday, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) data showed. As many as five columns of the army were deployed in Morbi, Anand, Devbhumi Dwarka, Rajkot and Vadodara each to carry out relief and rescue operations, officials said.

Jamnagar North MLA Rivaba Jadeja visits a flood-affected Navagam Ghed area of Jamnagar as a rescue operation is in progress on Wednesday. Video courtesy of Gujarat Information Department

Police rescue two persons after their car was swept away in a river near Vasai village in Jamnagar district on Wednesday. Screengrab from video: courtesy Gujarat Information Department

Minister of State for Education, Praful Pansheriya inspected the flooded section of National Highway 27 near Maliya, in Morbi on Wednesday.

Pansheriya is the guardian minister of Morbi district. The National Highway which connects Saurashtra region to Kutch district and to Kandla and Mundra ports has remained closed to vehicular traffic since 11:30 AM Tuesday due to flooding between Maliya in Morbi and Samakhiari in Kutch.

(Photo courtesy of Gujarat Information Department)

Two people were killed in rain-related incidents in Surendranagar, Agriculture Minister Raghavji Patel said during a meeting with officers of the district administration while reviewing the flood situation. He added that 13 livestock heads were also dead.

Madhya Gujarat Vij Corporation Limited (MGVCL) MD Tejas Parmar said that 68 feeders and 365 transformers are currently submerged under water.

Two sub stations at Vidyut Nagar Colony OP Road and in Atladara area are also submerged under water and have been currently shut down.

At 1pm, Ajwa and Pratappura reservoir levels stood at 213.75 feet and 229.65 feet respectively even as Vishwamitri river remained flooded in almost the entire city.

VMC clarifies that the level of 35.25 feet of Vishwamitri is the maximum sensor level and the current level of water cannot be estimated.

Several messages poured in from stranded residents in Akota, Sayajigunj, Karelibaug seeking rescue from the NDRF.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, expressing their concern over the flood situation, urged the Central government to provide all necessary assistance as residents were being evacuated from flood-hit areas in the state, news agency PTI reported.

Rain-related incidents have claimed nine more lives in Gujarat, taking the death toll to 16 in two days, while another 8,500 people were relocated and rescued from flood-affected areas with rains continuing to lash some parts of the state for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday, officials told PTI.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescued residents from flood-hit Vadodara on Wednesday.

Parbat Pathar, a farmer from Zinavari village in Jamjodhpur taluka of Jamnagar district is missing since he was washed away while attempting to cross a flooded Vartu river near his village at 9 PM Tuesday, the district administration of Jamnagar said.

The Indian Army undertook a rescue operation in Ward No.1 of Khambhalia town in Devbhumi Dwarka district. The Army rescued 50 people who were trapped in floodwaters, Devbhumi Dwarka district collector GT Pandya said.

Dr Sheetal Mistry, the Chairman of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has appealed to NGOs to join in relief operations.

Mistry also said that the VMC is in need of 1.2 lakh food packets.

Ajwa reservoir rises and is currently at 213.75 feet, posing a threat of overflowing automatically at 213.85 feet. The Pratappura reservoir is at 229.80 feet, as of 9:30 am.

The city lodged 06.00 mm (0.24 inch) of rain between 8 am to 9:30 am on Wednesday.

Rescue operations are underway in YKGN Society in Khambhalia town of Devbhumi Dwarka district. Khambhalia has logged around 15 inches of rains during 28 hours ending at 10 am on Wednesday.

A total of 25 people were rescued from the society.

Video shared by Gujarat information department on Wednesday morning -

A video shared by Devbhumi Dwarka district collector shows an Indian Coast Guard vessel towing a fishing boat carrying 13 people towards Okha port. All of them are safe.

Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) that were on standby in Narmada and Surendranagar districts have been called in to Vadodara for rescue operations.

Several residents are reaching out to NDRF for rescue in Akota, Manjalpur, Harni and Karelibaug areas.