Vadodara: With heavy rainfall forecast for Friday, district administrations and civic authorities across Central Gujarat have stepped up flood preparedness measures.The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has formed quick reaction teams (QRTs) in every ward to tackle waterlogging and ensure smooth traffic movement. “The QRTs comprise personnel from the fire brigade, engineering, garden and roads departments. Their primary responsibility will be clearing blocked roads and maintaining traffic flow,” said municipal commissioner Arun Mahesh Babu. The teams will also remove uprooted trees and collapsed hoardings caused by strong winds and heavy rain.A dedicated team stationed at the VMC’s command and control centre will monitor the city through 2,200 CCTV cameras, while an additional 25-member emergency response team has been deployed to handle distress calls. Authorities have identified 216 waterlogging-prone locations where pumps will be installed to drain rainwater. Rescue boats have also been kept on standby for emergency evacuations.State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been placed on high alert for rescue and evacuation operations.Vadodara District Collector Anil Dhameliya has declared a holiday for all educational institutions on Friday, including anganwadis, primary and secondary schools, higher secondary schools, industrial training institutes (ITIs) and colleges across the district. The administration has also urged private companies to allow employees to work from home wherever feasible.Residents have been advised to remain indoors unless absolutely necessary. People living in villages have also been warned to stay away from rivers and other waterbodies and to suspend fishing activities until conditions improve.The red alert has revived memories of the devastating floods that hit Vadodara in 2024, when thousands of residents from low-lying areas were evacuated. Several localities remained submerged for days, while crocodiles from the flooded Vishwamitri river entered residential areas. Among those rescued during the floods was India women’s cricketer Radha Yadav, who was evacuated by a boat from her home in Harni.In neighbouring Anand district, authorities have also declared a holiday for all educational institutions on Friday. Following a high-level review meeting, officials confirmed that they will intensify alerts in vulnerable areas. Special arrangements have been made for 26 villages along the Mahi and 13 villages near the Sabarmati to ensure timely warnings in case of rising water levels.Meanwhile, administrations in Panchmahal and Dahod districts mobilised SDRF and NDRF teams for rescue and relief operations. In Dahod, all schools and educational institutions will remain closed on both Friday and Saturday in view of the heavy rain alert.
