Torrential rains lashed Gujarat’s Saurashtra region on Monday leading to floods in Rajkot and Jamnagar districts. Over 100 talukas across the State received moderate to heavy rains in the through the day.
“A woman and two men drowned after their cars were washed away by the intensity of rains in two separate incidents in Kalavad in Rajkot and Jam Jodhpur in Jamnagar districts, respectively,” the officials said.
Gujarat’s Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who took over on Monday after being sworn in at the Raj Bhavan, held a review meeting with the top officials and directed that more NDRF teams be deployed if required.
Extremely heavy rains in Jamnagar and Rajkot districts led to rivers overflowing their banks and flooding low lying areas. The district authorities evacuated several people amid forecasts from the IMD that the rains are likely to continue for the next three days.
Following the floods, Indian Air Force helicopters were pressed into service to airlift stranded people, district authorities said. NDRF teams have been deployed in affected areas in both districts to relocate people from low lying areas to safer locations.
“Several teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were rushed to Rajkot, Junagadh and Jamnagar,” as per the statement issued by the emergency operation centre.
Around 20 people were airlifted by Indian Air Force helicopters from various villages in Jamnagar district, and 30 others rescued as well, according to Jamnagar Collector Sourabh Pardhi.
In Rajkot, Collector Arun Mahesh Babu informed that IAF choppers were pressed into service to airlift 22 people from three different villages in his district.
“So far we have relocated a total 1,155 people to safe places in the district, and the process continues. A team of the NDRF from Bhatinda in Punjab and two teams of SDRF from Banaskantha and Vadodara will be here to help in rescue operations,” Mr. Babu said.
Meanwhile, several highways have been closed for vehicular movements, all markets ands colleges were shut in both affected districts. As per the data shared by the state emergency operation centre, more than 50 highways were shut due to floods.
and this spell will likely continue till Thursday.
