VADODARA, Sept 17: Torrential rains continued to batter parts of Central Gujarat, specially Panchmahals, Bharuch and Vadodara, for the third day in succession on Thursday, even as rising water levels reportedly cut off 100 villages across the three districts, and an alert was sounded in 30-odd villages in Vadodara district.Two people - Shyamji Dungra, resident of Kukaranda village, and Chandu Naik of Merumgam, Naswadi taluka - were washed away while trying to ford the rising Meim river on Thursday.According to official information, a warning was been issued in 30-odd villages after all the 62 sluice gates at the Ajwa lake were opened on Thursday evening. An alert was also sounded in the villages of Baroda rural, Savli and Padra talukas after 1.62 lakh cusec of water was released into the Mahi river from Kadana dam. This caused almost all the rivers of the district to swell.The Ajwa water level was 213.69 feet (danger mark 214 feet) while the Vishwamitri level was 24.03 feet (danger mark 26 feet), officials said.The swelling waters of the Orsang, Mahi, Narmada, Dhadhar and Vishwamitri badly affected Dabhoi, Shinor, Karjan, Waghodia, Chhotaudepur, Kwant and Padra talukas of Vadodara district. In all, according to officials, more than 3,666 people were evacuated to safer places from various areas of Vadodara district.According to Vadodara District Development Officer Anju Sharma, hundreds of people had been shifted from waterlogged localities to higher grounds; Panchayat, police and health officials, too, had been put on round-the-clock alert. She, however, refuted that many villages had been cut off, maintaining, ``Only a few villages in six talukas are partially marooned. Their residents are being evacuated''.Bharuch Collector B B Swain, too, claimed that not a single person - let alone a village - had been marooned. ``Though dozens of villages are waterlogged, all their residents have been evacuated'', he said, adding that the water level of the Narmada river as well as the Gurudeshwar dam reservoir was above their respective danger marks.Vadodara District Collector Anil Mukim said he had held already held detailed talks with local army and air force chiefs and sought their help in rescue operations should the need arise.``The situation is quite under control, but much will depend on the next 12 hours. There are a few areas which are still inaccessible by road, and if the flood situation deteriorates, the defence personnel will help'', he told Express Newsline.Vadodara State Transport controller P K Patel said GSRTC services to almost all the 12 talukas had been badly affected by the rains. ``A large number of villages are not accessible by road'', he admitted. Swain said dozens of villages in Bharuch, Jhaghadia and Ankleshwar had been cut-off by road since the past 24 hours.``But we are trying to extend essential services and commodities any way we can'', he said, adding that the level of the Narmada - 33 feet, nine feet above the danger level - at the Golden Chokadi was cause for concern.
