Seven dead in a day, hundreds shifted as heavy rain lashes Central, South Gujarat

Districts in Central and South Gujarat continued to receive heavy rain Monday morning as Dediapada, Sagbara and Tilakwada in Narmada district recorded nearly 452 mm, 307 mm and 305 mm rainfall respectively in 10 hours from 6 am till 4 pm along with Umerpada in Surat that recorded 354 mm rainfall.

Heavy rainfall is expected to continue in Narmada and Surat districts on Tuesday as well, weather department said. Rainfall is expected across the state till July 16.

The inter-state border connecting Gujarat to Maharashtra through Saputara Hills in Dang was closed on Monday evening after a landslide.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Dang District Collector Bhavin Pandya said , “A landslide occurred around 4.30 pm due to heavy rain after which the border check post road has been blocked. Due to incessant rainfall and night, the repair work will not be completed by tonight. We have provided an alternate route from Waghai to Samghan to Manmodi to Saputara.”

As many as 198 talukas across the state recorded heavy rain Monday since 6 am as the India Meteorological Depatment (IMD) has issued heavy rainfall warning for Tuesday. A red alert is issued for Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, Dang, Tapi, Navsari and Valsad.

Over 460 persons were rescued from inundated areas within a day, taking the total number of people in rescue camps to 3,821, according to State Revenue Minister Rajendra Trivedi.

“A total of 56 persons died in rain-related incidents from June 1 to July 9. In the past 24 hours, seven more persons died, taking the total toll to 63,” Trivedi said while briefing media persons in Gandhinagar.

The minister said among the total deaths this season, 33 persons died in lightning strike, eight in wall collapse, 16 drowned, five in tree-fall incidents and one person died after an electricity pole collapsed.

According to state Revenue Minister Rajendra Trivedi, 63 people died in rain-related incidents since June 1. Chhota Udepur and Valsad were the worst-hit districts in terms of rainfall and damage. (Express file photo)

Thunderstorm and lightning have been forecast for Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Dahod, Panchmahal, Chhota Udepur, Vadodara, Daman, Dadara Nagar Haveli, Surendranagar, Morbi, Rajkot, Junagadh, Amreli, Gir Somnath, Botad, Kutch and Diu till Monday evening.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the situation from Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel over phone and assured of all help from the Centre, including assistance from the NDRF.

Gujarat BJP president CR Paatil held a virtual meeting with over 400 party office-bearers to discuss the flood situation in their respective regions. A party statement stated that Paatil asked them to provide food packets to the people in affected regions. The party also released four helpline numbers for people to seek help.

Ahmedabad, which received 114 mm rain in four hours from 6 pm Sunday, saw the highest rainfall in posh areas of north west (227.89 mm) and south west (280.40 mm) and west ( 282.65mm) zones.

According to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) control room, in the past 24 hours, an average rainfall of of 8.58 inch or 218 mm was recorded in Ahmedabad, leading to water-logging in several residential societies in the city even as roads, underpasses and highways were submerged.

Heavy rainfall is expected to continue in Narmada and Surat districts on Tuesday as well, weather department said. Rainfall is expected across the state till July 16. (Express file photo)

According to the Ahmedabad fire safety department, 55 persons were rescued from two buses stranded in the city area. “Seven persons from a Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) bus were rescued on the route from Javahar Chowk to Bhairav Nath Road. Similarly, 48 persons were rescued from a luxury bus stuck on the road stretch from Bhairav Nath Road to Isanpur road… We are on high alert responding to distress calls,” said Om Jadeja, senior fire official, Ahmedabad.

As per official data, with an average of 8.58 inch or 218 mm rainfall between 24 hours from 4 pm July 10 and July 11, West zone of Ahmedabad city recorded the highest rainfall of over 282 mm or 11.14 inch within 24 hours between 4 pm of July 10 and 11. Season’s total rainfall recorded in the West zone is 468 mm or 18.45 inch.

Water-logging was reported in several residential societies in Prahladnagar, Bopal, Shahibaug, Paldi, Vasna, Ellisbridge, old city pockets among others.
Chief Minister Patel who reached Gandhinagar from Rajkot took stock of the situation even as teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed for rescue and relief operations.

As per the information department of the Gujarat government, five inches of rain was recorded in six districts of Chhota Udepur, Dang, Narmada, Valsad, Navsari and Panchmahal on Sunday between 8 am and 6 pm.

A helicopter of the Indian Coast Guard rescued 16 persons stranded on the banks of a flooded Ambika river in Valsad district of South Gujarat. Some of them were perched on top of their inundated houses. The helicopter from Coast Guard air station at Daman airlifted them to safety.

Revenue Minister Trivedi said that 264 animals perished between June 1 and July 9, while “only 8 animals” died in the psat 24 hours. “This takes the total animal deaths to 272,” he said.

“Of the 508 people rescued so far (this monsoon), 468 persons were rescued in the past 24 hours,” the minister said, adding that 18 platoons for SDRF and an additional 18 platoons of NDRF were part of the rescue operations.

As per the information department of the Gujarat government, five inches of rain was recorded in six districts of Chhota Udepur, Dang, Narmada, Valsad, Navsari and Panchmahal on Sunday between 8 am and 6 pm. (Express file photo)

The minister also said that of the 10,677 persons evacuated till now, 3,821 continue to be in rescue shelters. Among those evacuated, 5,278 persons were from Chhota Udepur, most of whom have returned after the flood waters subsided, the minister said.

Trivedi also said that a total of 25 houses were fully damaged this monsoon of which seven houses were damaged in the past 24 hours. Eleven other kutcha houses were also totally damaged, he added.

In 24 hours till Monday morning, Bodeli and Kwant in Chhota Udepur received a record rainfall of 549 mm and 432 mm, respectively. Other talukas to record more than 200 mm rainfall were Jambughoda in Panchmahal (426 mm), Jetpur Pavi (403 mm) and Chhota Udepur (330 mm) taluka in Chhota Udepur, Waghai (288mm) and Dang (275 mm) in Dang, Dharampur (225 mm) in Valsad, Ahmedabad city 219 mm, Subir (211 mm) in Dang, Vansda (209 mm) and Kaprada (204 mm) in Narmada district. A total of 218 talukas received rainfall on Sunday.

Till 8 pm Monday, 17 centres recorded more than 100 mm rainfall. These include Dang (274 mm), Nandod (270 mm) in Narmada, Subir (269 mm) in Dang, Kaprada (237 mm) in Valsad, Songadh (192 mm) in Tapi, Dharampur (184 mm) in Valsad, Uchchhal (171 mm) in Tapi, Garudeshwar (154 mm) in Narmada, Waghai (142 mm) in Dang, Mangrol (127 mm) in Surat, Vapi (127 mm) in Valsad (105 mm) and Umergam (104 mm) in Valsad.

According to the IMD, heavy rainfall will continue Tuesday in Narmada, Surat, Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, Dang, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad, Kheda, Anand, Panchmahal, Dahod, Vadodara Amreli, Bhavnagar, Morbi, Kutch, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Patan, Mehsana, Gandhinagar, Aravalli, Ahmedabad, Mahisagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Gir Somnath, Junagadh and Botad.

Trivedi also said that a total of 25 houses were fully damaged this monsoon of which seven houses were damaged in the past 24 hours. Eleven other kutcha houses were also totally damaged, he added. (Express file photo)

The IMD has issued a heavy to very heavy rainfall warning for Wednesday for Surat, Dang, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad, Daman, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Anand, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Bharuch, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Gir Somnath, Ahmedabad, Kheda, Panchmahal, Dahod, Porbandar, Junagadh and Devbhumi Dwarka.

On July 14, “heavy to very heavy rain very likely with isolated extremely heavy rainfall” in Dang, Navsari, Valsad, Daman and Dadra Nagar Haveli, as well as isolated places in Surat, Tapi, Amreli, Gir Somnath, Junagadh Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Ahmedabad, Anand, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Narmada Bharuch Rajkot, Porbandar, Bhavnagar and Devbhumi Dwarka.

Schools closed in Valsad

Schools, colleges and anganwadis in Valsad will remain closed on Tuesday, according to an order by District Collector Kshipra S Agre.

The district panchayat education committee of Valsad in a directive stated, “Due to heavy and extremely heavy rainfall in Valsad district…, all anganwadi centres, primary, secondary and higher secondary schools will remain closed on July 12…” On Sunday, Valsad district recorded an average of 111 mm rainfall.