Flood-like situation prevailed in parts of Gujarat following incessant rains during last one week even as Meteorology Department forecast heavy rain in South Gujarat, Saurashtra-Kutch and North Gujarat regions in the next five days.
In the last one week, the State administration has relocated more than 3500 people from flood affected areas to safer places in Saurashtra and South Gujarat regions. According to Relief Commissioner Manoj Kothari, at least 180 villages and towns were without electricity and around 185 roads have been closed down due to heavy rains in the State. It is expected power supply would be restoresd in affected areas once water subsides in flood affected areas, said Kothari.
Dr. Jayant Sarkar, director of Meteorology Department in Ahmedabad said that due to creation of cyclonic circulation system over Arabian Sea, parts of Gujarat might receive very heavy rain in coming five days in Porbandar, Amreli, Rajkot, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Bhavnagar, Botad, Jamnagar, Morbi, Surendranagar, Junagadh, Dang, Surat, Navasari, Valsad, Chhota Udepur, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Arvalli, Patan, Dahod and Panchmahal districts of the state.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had to cancel flight to Gir Somnath district on Tuesday morning due to bad weather. The Chief Minister was scheduled to reach Keshod airport in Junagadh district and from there he was to visit Gir Somnath area to review situation in flood affected areas. Due to incessant rain, his chopper couldn’t land at Keshod and he had to fly back to the State capital Gandhinagar.
later on he decided to go by Indian Air Force helicopter in the afternoon, but again bad weather didn’t allow safe landing. He however monitored flood affected areas sitting in chopper.
Finally Rupani decided to land at Jetpur in Rajkot district and from there he went to rain affected Junagadh and Gir Somnath districts by road.
With a view to speed up rescue operation in flood affected areas, CM has given responsibilities of different districts to his Ministers. Revenue Minister Kaushik Patel has been given Valsad, Agriculture Minister RC Faldu Amreli, Forest Minister Ganapat Vasava Dang and Civil Supply minister Jayesh Radadia is looking after Junagadh district.
The State administration is monitoring the situation through State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) and co-ordinating with different agencies to speed up rescue operation. Besides SEOC, 24X7 control rooms have been initiated in all rain affected districts. Already 15 teams of NDRF teams have been deployed and five more would join from Wednesday.
On Tuesday NDRF personnel rescued over 250 passengers of a meter gauge train which was trapped in flooding water near Gir Gadhada villager in Gir Somnath district. Besides 25 people from Sokhada village in Amreli district, 85 near Olpad area of Surat and more than 260 in Navsari were safely evacuated by rescue teams.
Following water logging near Kanlus Railway station in Jamnagar district soil formation under railway track washed away and hence rail traffic of several train hampered on Tuesday.