Nearly 60 people were rescued as over six-inch rainfall lashed Amreli district’s Rajula taluka on Monday. The district administration has been on high alert and no casualty has been reported so far, said an official.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is monitoring the situation caused by unseasonal rainfall and has directed Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani to visit Bhavnagar, Tribal Development Minister Naresh Patel to visit Tapi, Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Pradyuman Vaja to visit Junagadh and Gir Somnath, respectively. Minister of State Kaushik Vekariya is also expected to reach Amreli at the earliest.
CM Patel directed senior ministers of the state cabinet to visit the districts most affected and provide necessary guidance to the district administration to effectively manage the situation, a government release stated.
The ministers will hold meetings with district officials to assess the situation and visit the affected areas to obtain a first-hand understanding.
Patel on Monday held discussions with all district collectors and obtained insights on the rainfall situation and changing weather conditions. He also directed the State Emergency Centre (SEOC) to coordinate closely with districts and ensure timely assistance.
Amreli collector Vikalp Bhardwaj told The Indian Express, “As many as 59 people were rescued by the district administration from three different locations in Rajula taluka. They had gotten stuck due to the heavy rainfall. Also, two pregnant women were rushed to the nearest health facility with the help of locals.”
In the last 24 hours till Monday 5 pm, Bhavnagar district’s Mahuva (195 mm) and Shihor (128mm) received the highest rainfall, followed by Songadh in Tapi (100 mm), Jafrabad in Amreli (95 mm) and Una in Gir Somnath (93 mm) (Express Photo)
In separate incidents, three pregnant women were rushed to the nearest hospital – two by JCBs and the other by a boat.
Miraben Vipulbhai Dundhalva (30) from Chanch village in Rajula taluka was shifted to an ambulance with the help of a JCB machine after the area was inundated with water early on Monday.
In the second case of Chanch village, the 108 team rushed to the spot while the pregnant woman was suffering from labour pain. While taking the patient to the hospital, the ambulance could not reach the opposite bank due to the high water flow in the river of Samadhiyala village, so the 108 team rescued the patient by JCB with help from locals.
“As the area was flooded, the locals quickly arranged a JCB machine with the help of which she could cross Samadhiyala. The delivery was done in the 108 van but she was soon shifted to the sub-district hospital Mahuva in Bhavnagar for further care. Both the child and mother are doing fine,” deputy collector and sub division magistrate (SDM) Rajula and Savarkundla, ZV Patel, told The Indian Express.
As per the details shared by the 108 staff, in the third case of Bandar village of Mahuva taluka, the Victor Chokdi 108 team of Amreli district rushed to the spot while a pregnant woman was suffering from labour pain. While taking the patient to the hospital, the ambulance could not go to the opposite bank due to the high water flow in the Bandar Bandhara river. With the help of the local people, the Victor Chokdi 108 team rescued the patient by arranging a boat.
In the last 24 hours till Monday 5 pm, Bhavnagar district’s Mahuva (195 mm) and Shihor (128mm) received the highest rainfall, followed by Songadh in Tapi (100 mm), Jafrabad in Amreli (95 mm) and Una in Gir Somnath (93 mm).
From 6 am to 6 pm on Monday, Amreli and Gir Somnath were the worst-hit districts. Rajula and Lilia in Amreli recorded 175 mm and 114 mm rainfall, respectively, followed by Una (115mm) and Gir Gadhada (109mm) in Gir Somnath. Bhavnagar’s Mahuva recorded 93 mm rainfall.
The post monsoon activity was vigorous as extremely heavy rainfall occurred in the districts of Saurashtra, namely Bhavnagar and Amreli along with very heavy rainfall in districts of south Gujarat (Express Photo)
By evening, the southern districts of the state, including Surat, started witnessing sudden heavy rainfall.
Following warnings by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Coast Guard alerted all merchant vessels and fishing boats along the Gujarat coast. Ships, aircraft and coastal stations of the Coast Guard issued repeated advisories, ensuring timely communication to fishermen and maritime stakeholders. “The ICG remains on high alert, maintaining round-the-clock surveillance and preparedness for any contingency to safeguard lives and property at sea,” the Coast Guard.
The IMD on Monday upgraded the orange alert to red for Amreli, Bhavnagar, Gir Somnath districts but kept Anand, Bharuch, Surat and Navsari, Junagadh and Botad on orange alert.
The IMD has issued an orange alert for October 29 and 30 for Amreli and Bhavnagar. In addition, for October 31, Gir Somnath – along with Amreli and Bhavnagar – have been put on orange alert.
The post monsoon activity was vigorous as extremely heavy rainfall occurred in the districts of Saurashtra, namely Bhavnagar and Amreli along with very heavy rainfall in districts of south Gujarat.
“The Depression over eastcentral Arabian Sea moved northeastwards lay centered at 1430 hrs IST on 27 October over about 570 km southwest of Veraval (Gujarat), 650 km west-southwest of Mumbai (Maharashtra), 710 km west-northwest of Panjim (Goa), 850 km northwest of Aminidivi (Lakshadweep) and about 920 km west-northwest of Mangalore (Karnataka). It is likely to move nearly north-northeastwards across the Eastcentral Arabian Sea during next 48 hours,” the IMD stated in its bulletin late on Monday.
On Monday, 205 talukas out of over 250 received rainfall from 6 am till 6 pm. The state is expected to continue receiving rainfall till October 30.
On Monday, 205 talukas out of over 250 received rainfall from 6 am till 6 pm. The state is expected to continue receiving rainfall till October 30 (Express Photo) 
In the last 24 hours till Monday 5 pm, Bhavnagar district’s Mahuva (195 mm) and Shihor (128mm) received the highest rainfall, followed by Songadh in Tapi (100 mm), Jafrabad in Amreli (95 mm) and Una in Gir Somnath (93 mm) (Express Photo)
The post monsoon activity was vigorous as extremely heavy rainfall occurred in the districts of Saurashtra, namely Bhavnagar and Amreli along with very heavy rainfall in districts of south Gujarat (Express Photo)
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