Vadodara: Vadodara district remained on high alert on Friday as India Meteorological Department’s red alert for extremely heavy rainfall prompted large-scale precautionary measures, including the evacuation of nearly 320 residents from vulnerable villages, deployment of disaster response teams and relocation of pregnant women with imminent delivery dates.The district administration shifted residents from Por, Dena, Dabka-Jaspur and Malsar to relief centres, where food and other essential facilities were arranged. Three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and one State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team were deployed across the district, while Army and Air Force were kept on standby for emergency assistance if required.The administration also evacuated the 14-member priest’s family residing on flood-prone Vyas Bet in Shinor taluka, recalling a flood rescue operation carried out by Army there three years ago. The railway underpass leading to the river island has been closed as a precaution.With heavy rain forecast over the next 24 hours, Vadodara district collector Anil Dhameliya said control rooms were functioning round the clock and officials had been deployed across all talukas.Citizens were urged to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly on national and state highways, and stay away from rivers, waterlogged roads, electric poles and unsafe structures.The health department implemented a special contingency plan to protect expectant mothers. Of the 408 pregnant women identified across the district whose delivery dates fall within the next seven days, 47 had already been shifted to safer health facilities by Friday, where 31 deliveries were successfully conducted without complications. Shinor accounted for the highest number of evacuations, with 22 pregnant women shifted and 17 deliveries carried out.In Vadodara city, schools and colleges remained closed on Friday following the red alert, while the district administration later ordered all educational institutions to remain shut on Saturday as well.Rainwater accumulated at several locations, including the Alkapuri railway underpass, where a few vehicles stalled. Vadodara Municipal Corporation received three distress calls by Friday afternoon, with emergency teams remaining on standby.Rainfall eased after the morning spell, but Shinor recorded the highest rainfall in the district at 66 mm till 6 pm, followed by Dabhoi (59 mm), Vadodara taluka (50 mm) and Waghodia (42 mm). The district recorded an average rainfall of 41.88 mm by Friday evening.
