All they can do is wait for waters to recede

Rescue efforts were hit as communication lines were down and teams were stranded in swirling waters. Three deaths have been reported so far and with communication down, there was no way of knowing about more casualties. Water Supply and Water Resources Minister Narottam Patel, who is camping in Surat, said this was the worst flood the city had faced in two decades. In 1998, 30 per cent of the city was flooded.

Educational institutions, offices and business establishments remained closed for the second day while supply of essential items like milk and vegetables was hit. Though NH 8 remained closed, trains were running normally between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Train traffic would be halted if the level at bridge No. 502 rose by another 50 cm, Western Railway officials said.

Special coaches have been attached to two trains from Ahmedabad and Valsad to send the food and water packets. Ahmedabad District Collector D Tara who is coordinating with the Western Railways said the train from Ahmedabad would deliver relief material to northern parts of Surat while the one leaving from Valsad would reach the southern part.

The Ahmedabad District Collectorate has opened a counter at Circuit House Annexee where food packets and relief supplies are being collected to be dispatched to Surat.

Officials said the administration was depending on wireless communication to monitor the situation. A team of eight ham-radio operators has been assembled by the Gujarat Amateur Radio Society, which will be sent to Surat and other areas of south Gujarat to open emergency communication channels.

The situation in Vadodara was grim as the Vishwamitri was flowing five feet above the danger mark.

Officials said thousands of people living on banks of Sabarmati in Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad districts were being evacuated as about 50,000 cusec water was being released from Dharoi Dam.

Revenue Minister Kaushik Patel said about 3,000 people who had gone to see the swirling waters in the Tapi river in the morning were trapped in the flooded bridge near the Gandhi Vasahat area. While most of them have been rescued with the help of army jawans and shifted to safer places, about 900 people still remain trapped in the water. A rescue operation was on to save them, officials said.

PM to visit flood-hit areas: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit the flood-affected areas of Gujarat and Maharashtra on Thursday. Singh, who spoke to the chief ministers of flood-affected Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Orissa on Monday, is likely to review the situation to help expedite relief measures.

1 lakh people evacuated: Heavy rains in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions of Maharashtra has so far claimed 70 lives. Authorities have evacuated over one lakh people from low-lying areas and declare a high alert in many villages. Over two lakh cusecs of water has been released from the Jaikwadi Dam in Aurangabad district after the dam was filled to over 90 per cent of its capacity.

No Choppers, Relief work hit: Chhattisgarh is facing problems in rescue and relief work in flood-affected Dantewada district following the Centre8217;s decision to withdraw two military helicopters deployed in the state. The Sukma-Konta and Bijapur-Bhopalpatnam roads have been cut off for the past five days, creating problems for the state. PTI