Five die in Gujarat as heavy rains lash Surat, Navsari, Valsad; 19 dead since June in rain-related accidents

Heavy rains in Gujarat have claimed five lives so far, as it marooned many residential and low-lying areas in Navsari and Valsad districts besides parts of Surat city in Gujarat on Thursday, reports have said. According to The Indian Express, a farmer died in Surat district on Thursday. The fire department of the civic body in Surat said that three cases of short-circuit were reported, while fifteen trees were uprooted on Thursday, the report said. The meteorological department on Thursday predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in south and central Gujarat in the next 24 hours and “extremely heavy rainfall” in Valsad, Surat and Navsari. [caption id=“attachment_4733861” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] Quoting officials, PTI reported 900 people have been shifted to safer places following heavy showers that have been lashing several parts of south and central Gujarat since Wednesday. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed at ten locations in the state. South Gujarat region, particularly Valsad, Surat and Navsari districts, have been bearing the brunt of downpour since Thursday morning, leading to water-logging on roads and overflowing of rivers which has affected normal life. As per the state emergency control room, parts of Saurashtra region also received heavy showers. State relief commissioner Manoj Kothari said 19 people have died in the state since June due to various rain-related accidents like lightning and electrocution. Kothari said teams of the NDRF have been deployed at ten different locations to carry out relief and rescue operations. “We have shifted almost 900 people to safer places following incessant rains in south Gujarat during the last two days,” he told PTI. The official said high tide had prevented the river water from flowing into sea in the region on the second day of the downpour. “However, water has started receding in south Gujarat on Thursday evening,” Kothari added. In Saurashtra, heavy rainfall was recorded in Una and Kodinar talukas of Gir Somnath district. Showers also lashed parts of Bhavnagar and Amreli. As per the data released by the state government, Waghai taluka in Dang district received the highest rainfall in the state at 121 mm between 8 am and 6 pm. Waghai was followed by Kodinar (115 millimetres), Surat city (107 millimetres), Talaja taluka in Bhavnagar (100 millimetres) Bharuch taluka in Bharuch district (96 millimetres), Dolvan taluka in Tapi district (95 millimetres), Savarkundla taluka in Amreli (93 millimetres) and Choryasi taluka in Surat (93 millimetres). Vansda, Jalalpore and Navsari talukas in Navsari district received the rainfall at 91, 78 and 78 millimetres, respectively, in the ten hours on Thursday. Dharampur and Kaprada talukas in Valsad district received rainfall at 76 and 68 millimetres, respectively, between 8 am to 6 pm. Vadodara, Chhota Udaipur and Bharuch districts in central Gujarat also received heavy showers. Due to incessant rain, 197 roads, including a national highway and three state highways in central and south Gujarat, have been closed for traffic, a government release stated. “Due to downpour, one national highway and two state highways passing from Dang district have been shut for traffic while one state highway was closed in Navsari this (Thursday) morning,” it said. With inputs from PTI.