Heavy rains lash Gujarat, over 2000 evacuated in Bharuch district

Ahmedabad: Heavy rains lashed many parts of Gujarat today causing the rivers to overflow, following which close to 2,000 people from six villages in Bharuch district and city had to be evacuated to safer places, officials said. Heavy rains lashed Bharuch, Surat and Narmada district in South Gujarat, while Amreli in Suarashtra and the capital city also received rains. Narmada, Mahi, Sabarmati and other rivers are overflowing due to heavy rains in the state and neighbouring states like Madhya Pradesh. Water level in Narmada rivers has gone up due to high outflow of water from Sardar Sarovar dam which is overflowing at 129.47 meters.  Water level at Golden bridge on river Narmada in Bharuch district reached 29.5 feet crossing the danger mark. “1,923 people from six villages and Bharuch city have been evacuated to safer places following heavy rains. Their food arrangements and other necessary items have been takencare of,” Bharuch district collector Avantika Singh told PTI. [caption id=“attachment_1006495” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of man carrying his television set after floods in his village. Reuters[/caption] “Overall, we have alerted 21 villages in the district on the banks of Narmada river and various teams are in the field assessing the situation. The water level at Golden Bridge in the city has has breached the normal level of 22 feet and touched 29.5 feet,” Singh added. Water level has also been rising in several places in the neighbouring Narmada district as well. “Eighty-five people have been shifted to a government school in Sisodhra village in Nandod taluka in Narmada district,” Narmada district collector Rakesh Shankar told PTI. “The water level in Narmada dam has reached a height of 129.47 meter. Our teams are monitoring the situation in the fields. Vasan and Rangan villages in Tilakwada taluka have been kept on stand-by. Village sarpanchs, mamlatdars have been informed of the prevailing situation and also asked to remain alert,” Shankar said. Shankar added that people have not been allowed to access picnic point like Jharavani Falls. Heavy rains also lashed Vadodara city, while several parts of Amreli district also received widespread rains. The local meteorological department has said that the situation will continue till Sunday. “A system has developed over the Bay of Bengal. Low pressure area near western Madhya Pradesh and adjoining areas is likely to result in fairly widespread rains over the state,” Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) regional director Jayant Sarkar said. “This situation will persist till Sunday. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected over North Gujarat, South Gujarat, Saurashtra, Diu, Daman and Dadra-Nagar Haveli over the next 24 hours,” Sarkar further said. Low-lying areas in Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat were flooded even as rains continued to lash major parts of the state. PTI