Saurashtra battered; Morbi on the edge

RAJKOT: At least 1,600 people, mostly in Rajkot district, were shifted to safer places as flash floods caused by incessant downpour on the third consecutive day lead to dams overflowing and forcing authorities to release water
In Rajkot city alone, 675 people were shifted from low-lying areas but the situation was particularly of concern in Morbi district where gates of Machhu 2 dam were opened which led to flooding in several down stream areas.
According to official sources, there were several incidents of people getting swept away in turbulent waters of natural drains while body of one labourer identified as Ramesh Ninama, 35, a native of Madhya Pradesh, was fished out in Sisak village near Kotda-Sangani in Rajkot district.
A boy, who was on his way to give the GujCET exam, and his father were swept away in a turbulent natural drain, near Raisangpur village of Morbi district’s Halvad taluka. Search operation was undertaken to trace them. Two persons also drowned in the Gondli River of Gondal town and they are also missing. Situation was particularly grim in Morbi, Gondal taluka of Rajkot and Jodia in Jamnagar district, which were lashed by heavy downpour within just a few hours.
In all, 34 people who were swept away were rescued by fire brigade and National Disaster Respose Force (NDRF) teams in Rajkot, Morbi and Surendranagar districts. Six persons of a family, including three children, had a close shave with death as they started drowning in Lalpari lake in Rajkot after the water level swelled suddenly due to release of water from the dam and continuous rainfall. Fire brigade teams rescued all of them.
Around 27 labourers -17 stranded in Nana Khijadia village of Tankara taluka in Morbi and eight trapped in a flooded warehouse - were rescued on Sunday night. Three persons are missing and two were rescued after their car got swept away in Maha River near Wankaner town of Morbi.
Three among five persons, who tried to cross a causeway near Gondli River, were swept away. However, one of them knew swimming and swam to safety taking his two friends along.