Gujarat rains: 650 people shifted in Kheda, Chhota Udepur

According to state disaster management authority’s data, Chhota Udepur district, which received its highest rainfall in a single day on Thursday at 1,092mm, clocked 524 mm rain Friday. Chhota Udepur taluka alone received 157 mm. The two dams in the district were also overflowing with Sukhi dam at 145.50 feet and Rami Dam at 196.80 feet.

After heavy rain on Thursday and Friday, several villages in Kawant taluka of Chhota Udepur which was pounded by 334 mm rainfall on Thursday, were severely waterlogged and cut off from the main district.

The National Disaster Response Force team evacuated over 160 people from various villages of Kawant taluka on Friday. Eight villages in Pavi Jetpur close to Sukhi dam were kept on alert after two gates of the dam were opened. Around 80 families from five villages in Bodeli taluka were also moved to safer locations due to rising water levels in Orsang river.

“People have been moved to safer locations as per precautionary measures. A few villages have also been put on alert after gates of Sukhi dam were opened but the gates will be closed tonight since the inflow has reduced,” said Chhota Udepur Collector Sujal Mayatra.

Six gates of Dev dam on Dhadhar river were opened by one metre each and 19,423 cusec water has been released. In view of this, villages from Waghodia, Dabhoi, Padra and Karjan located close to the dam and on the banks of river Dhadhar have been put on alert. People have also been warned to not venture close to the river banks.

In Vadodara, incessant rain continued to lash the city with the district in all receiving 59 mm rainfall between 6 am and 4 pm Friday. With Vishwamitri river level rising, schools and colleges were dispersed mid day. As of 5 pm, the Vishwamitri was at 19 feet, while the Ajwa dam at 213 feet (as of 8.30pm). twenty-four villages in Vadodara district, including those in Sinor, Karjan and Dabhoi, were put on alert. Around five teams of SDRF and NDRF have also been put on standby.

In Kheda, over 150 people were rescued and relocated from the low lying areas of Mahudha taluka as heavy rain led to severe waterlogging in major areas of the taluka. It received 1,041 mm rain (till 8pm) on Friday. One team of SDRF has also been kept on stand by.