Gujarat floods: Over 7,000 people relocated in two days; More rain predicted in next 48 hours

Ahmedabad: Incessant rains continued to lash several parts of Gujarat, after which over 7,000 people were shifted to safer places during the last two days across the state, officials said on Sunday. From 8 am to 4 pm on Sunday, rains lashed several parts of Banaskantha and Sabarkantha districts of north Gujarat and Valsad district of south Gujarat, said a release by the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC). Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani conducted an aerial survey in parts of Surendranagar district to take stock of the situation, an official release said. [caption id=“attachment_3844965” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] In Rajkot, Rupani held a meeting with officials and asked the administration to help people as heavy rains are expected till 29 July, it added. According to the state director of relief, AJ Shah, 7,000 people were shifted to safer places owing to flood-like situation in several districts of the state during the last two days. “During the last two days, around 7,000 people in Morbi, Rajkot, Surendranagar, Banaskantha and Ahmedabad districts were shifted to safe places. Rescue operations have been initiated in Kalol of Gandhiangar and Deodar of Banskantha as both the places received 8 inches of rain during last 24 hours,” Shah was quoted as saying in a statement. He said rescue operation by the National Disaster Response Force was going on in Surendranagar, Morbi, Amreli, Rajkot, Kutch, Banaskantha, Mehsana, Valsad and Surat districts. As the water receded on Sunday, traffic movement has been restored on the Ahmedabad-Rajkot and Kutch-Morbi National Highways, it said. However, 19 state highways as well as 102 internal roads in various parts of state are still closed due to waterlogging, said the release. According to the release, Gujarat has so far received almost 56.61 percent of the total expected rainfall. The arid Kutch region received maximum rainfall of 73.61 percent, followed by Saurashtra (70.74), North (55.57), South (50.01) and East-Central (43.20 per cent), it said. On Sunday, Vadgam, Dhanera, Amirgadh, Palanpur and Dantiwada taluka of Banskantha district received rainfall of 97 mm, 91 mm, 83 mm, 68 mm and 61 mm respectively. These places were followed by Umergam of Valsad (58mm), Deodar of Banaskantha (55 mm), Kaprada of Valsad (53 mm), Idar of Sabarkantha (52 mm), Tharad of Banaskantha (50 mm), Poshina of Sabarkantha (50mm), Siddhpur of Patan (48mm) and Vijaynagar of Sabarkantha (47mm). The Metereological Centre in Ahmedabad predicted that heavy to very heavy rain would occur at several places in Gujarat during the next two days. It also warned of extremely heavy rain at some places in Banskantha, Sabarkantha, Patan and Mehsana districts on Monday.