Gujarat flood: 35 dead in 2 days; restoration speeds up

Thirty-five rain-related deaths have been reported in Gujarat in the past two days, officials said on Saturday, even as the downpour in the State eased, prompting authorities to speed up work on damage assessment surveys and post-flood cleanliness.

Twenty-nine of these deaths have taken place in Valsad and Navsari, two of the worst affected districts, with over 7,000 persons rescued in the last few days, they added.

As flood waters began receding, authorities started work on surveying damage to crops, houses and public properties as well as cleaning and spraying of pesticides to prevent spread of water-borne diseases, officials pointed out.

“A total of 35 rain-related deaths have been reported so far in the State in the last two days as bodies washed away in flood waters were recovered and missing persons were accounted for after the rain stopped and rescue operations concluded,” Relief Commissioner Gaurang Makwana said.

He said most of the deaths occurred due to drowning and being swept away by strong currents. More than 7,000 people were rescued, with the highest numbers coming from Navsari and Surat.

Around 42,000 people were relocated, he said, adding that rescue operations were now drawing to a close.

As many as 18 teams of NDRF and 32 teams of the State’s SDRF were deployed in different affected districts for rescue and relief operations along with teams of Indian Army, Coast Guard and local swimmers.

Three teams each of NDRF were deployed in Navsari and Ahmedabad districts for the purpose, officials said.

Navsari Collector Manish Gurwani said 19 bodies have been recovered so far in the district.

“We relocated 14,000 people. There were 1,200 instances where the NDRF, SDRF, local swimmers, and district administration teams carried out special rescue operations. The Indian Coast Guard airlifted 60 persons, specifically shrimp farmers, from Mendhar-Gandevi,” Gurwani informed.

Valsad Collector Nitin Sangwan said rescue operations have been completed in the district, and the administration began loss assessment surveys from Friday.

“Starting Monday, we will provide cash assistance, either via direct bank transfers or by handing over cash to those without bank accounts, to cover losses such as household items, wages (for up to three days), livestock deaths. Approximately 20,000 people were relocated or rescued during the operations, with the casualty count in the district standing at 10 so far,” Sangwan said.

Patan, Vav-Tharad and Kheda districts of Gujarat were among the districts that received heavy rain in the last 24 hours till 6 am on Saturday, officials said, with Santalpur and Radhanpur talukas of Patan receiving 381- and 342-mm rains, respectively, and Bhabhar in Vav-Tharad getting 287 mm.

Between 6 am and 4 pm on Saturday, Kaprada and Nanapondha in Valsad, Deodar and Lakhani in Vav-Tharad, and Khergam in Navsari districts received 71-, 49-, 50- and 46-mm rains, respectively, State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) data showed.

In 24 hours till 6 am, rains covered 34 districts, with 173 talukas receiving over 250 mm rains, SEOC said.

 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been moved to Vav-Tharad and Patan districts due to heavy rains, officials said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a ‘red’ alert for Vav-Tharad, Banaskantha, Patan, Surendranagar, Mehsana, Kheda, Arvalli, Sabarkantha on Saturday. The IMD issued an ‘orange’ alert for some of these districts on Sunday.

As many as 103 persons stranded due to floods were evacuated in Dholka taluka of Ahmedabad by the NDRF, which also rescued 120 persons and evacuated 43 others from villages in Navsari district.

The NDRF also retrieved two dead bodies, both of elderly people, from these villages, officials said.

As per officials, 35 people from 10 families were evacuated to safety in Chhansara in Patan’s Santalpur taluka, while the village school was evacuated as a precautionary measure.

Several approach roads across connecting villages were cut off, and efforts were being made to restore them, they added.