4 die, rain continues

SURAT, July 8: Rains claimed 4 lives in the district in the last 24 hours even as the fury subsided on Wednesday. There was no let up in rai...

SURAT, July 8: Rains claimed 4 lives in the district in the last 24 hours even as the fury subsided on Wednesday. There was no let up in rains till Wednesday morning as rains battered South Gujarat for the last two days. Harji Deva Chaudhary and Baba Bhikha Ahir were electrocuted when they came in contact with live wires. The basement of Varsha Society, located in front of I C Gandhi high school on the Sumul Dairy road, was flooded.Similarly, Gokul Vaghji Patel died when he came in contact with a live wire in Shivnagar Society No. 1in Katargam Triloknagar.

District flood control sources said Ramesh Fulchand Gamit, resident of Verakui village of Mangrol taluka of the district, died when he fell into the swirling waters of a creek. The body of the 40-year-old person was recovered later.

Valod taluka received the highest rainfall of 18 inches in the district while Surat city received a rainfall of 8 inches in the last 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. The water Level in the Ukai dam rose to 297.95 feet on Wednesday morning while iN the Kakrapar reservoir it reached 162.10 feet. There was no cause for alarm, authorities said.

Six hundred families from Rasulabad, who have been sheltered in Althan School No. 13 and 14, were provided food packets. A wall collapsed in Iqbalnagar slum in Rander area affecting 9 persons from two families. As the level of water rose in Mindhona river flowing through Bardoli taluka. 881 persons from 186 families staying on the bank were shifted to safer places. Non-government organisations were looking after their needs. Sixteen families from Sarbhon village who were displaced on Tuesday returned to their huts. Following release of water from the Kakrapar weir and rains in the catchment areas authorities released water in the Tapi river. Siganpore weir-cum-causeway which started overflowing on Tuesday has been closed to traffic.

Traffic on the Bardoli-Vyara highway was diverted as water was flowing four feet above a nullah between Kedareshwar and Hindolia villages. Authorities are not taking any chances as the weather department has forecast heavy to very heavy rains in South Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli areas and have alerted taluka mamlatdars to remain on alert and keep in touch with headquarters on the wireless.

In the neighbouring Navsari district as many as 4,938 persons, including 2,251 persons on Wednesday, were moved to safer places in the last two days as water level in the Purna river crossed the danger mark, according to collector R C Gohil. Water started receding in the afternoon as there was no rain in the catchment areas. Chikhli received as much as 492 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours followed by Navsari with 322 mm and Gandevi with 250 mm.In Valsad district 200 families from Kashmirinagar area in Valsad-Pardi village were shifted to a safe place late on Tuesday.