Over 300 people shifted to shelter homes in Gujarat’s Valsad due to heavy rain

The meteorological department predicted heavy rain in Valsad district on Monday and Tuesday. Valsad District Collector A R Jha announced on Sunday evening that all schools and colleges in different talukas, such as Valsad, Dharampur, and Kaprada, would remain closed on Monday.

From Monday morning to noon, no rain was witnessed in different talukas of Valsad district, except for 25 mm rainfall in Kaprada taluka. From 6 am to 10 pm on Sunday, the rainfall measured in different talukas in the Vaslad district was Valsad (163 mm), Dharampur (103 mm), and Kaprada (119 mm), Pardi (70 mm), Umargam (33 mm), and Vapi (35 mm).

Due to heavy rain, the Auranga River in Valsad rose to a dangerous 4 metres at Bhairavi village. As a result, the district administration, with assistance from fire brigade officials and police teams, had to relocate 300 residents of the low-lying area in Kashmiranagar to shelter homes.

People have been provided with food and medical facilities. In response to waterlogging, the authorities have closed 98 roads in various villages, and police officers have been deployed to prevent people from using them. District authorities have advised people to use alternative routes.

Due to heavy rainfall in Maharashtra’s upper catchment area and the Valsad district, the water level in Madhuban Dam has risen significantly. On Sunday, the dam authorities recorded a heavy inflow of water, reaching up to 1.11 lakh cubic metres. As a result, the water level in the dam rose to 76.60 metres, nearing the danger level of 80 metres.

According to sources, the water discharged from the Madhuban Dam reached over 1.10 lakh cusecs throughout Sunday. The dam’s total storage is 265.26 million cubic metres. Authorities opened 10 dam doors up to 2 metres to discharge the water. This water flows through the Daman Ganga river and eventually meets the Arabian Sea in the district’s coastal area.

Talking to The Indian Express, Valasd Disaster Management Mamlatdar Nafisha Shaikh said, “Currently, the situation is under control, and there is no major rainfall in the district. The water level in the Auranga river is receding. Out of the 98 roads closed on Sunday, many have started reopening for public use. Those who were relocated to shelter homes are now returning to their houses. No casualties have been reported so far. The fishing community has been advised not to go to sea for fishing activities.”