AHMEDABAD: Heavy rains battered several parts of Gujarat on Thursday, triggering flooding, disrupting transport and power supply, and forcing authorities to launch large-scale rescue operations across the state.Around 1,200 people have been rescued from rain-hit areas, while one rain-related death was reported in Tapi district, news agency PTI reported.The situation was particularly severe in south Gujarat, where Valsad‘s Umbergaon taluka recorded more than 1,100mm of rainfall in just 16 hours, according to State Emergency Operation Centre data cited by PTI.Several other talukas in the district also received more than 600mm of rain during the same period.A red alert for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall remained in effect in Valsad, Navsari, Surat and Tapi, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) also issuing a red alert for Valsad, Navsari, Dangs, Surat and Tapi for Thursday and Friday.The downpour prompted authorities to intensify rescue and relief operations, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) deployed in affected districts. The Indian Air Force and Coast Guard were also kept on alert for possible air rescue operations if weather conditions improve, PTI reported.Relief commissioner Gaurang Makwana said around 1,200 people had been rescued so far, while 1,500 residents in Surat were shifted to safer locations. In Navsari, 200 people stranded across 11 villages due to rising water levels in the Kaveri river were rescued and relocated.A biker was also rescued after being swept away by floodwaters in Valsad as water levels rose in several parts of the district.More than 300 roads were temporarily closed due to waterlogging and flooding, while over 200 state-run bus trips were affected. Several areas also reported power outages, officials said.In Surat, local fire department personnel used boats to evacuate residents from waterlogged areas. Around 40 people from Pandesara were shifted to safer locations, while heavy rainfall was reported in talukas including Umarpada, Bardoli, Mahuva and Kamrej.The situation also affected rail services, with several trains bound for Mumbai either cancelled or short-terminated due to rising water levels along railway routes in south Gujarat. Western Railway opened a help desk to assist affected passengers.Heavy rainfall also disrupted normal life in Ahmedabad, where several residential societies were flooded and multiple underpasses were closed.In Narmada district, heavy rains in Dediapada and Sagbara talukas cut off several villages and disrupted communication. The IMD has also issued a red alert for Panchmahal, Dahod and Mahisagar in central Gujarat, while an orange alert has been issued for 11 districts and a yellow alert for 10 others.Amid the worsening weather conditions, authorities in Vadodara have announced that schools and colleges will remain closed on Friday due to the forecast of heavy rainfall. A holiday has also been declared for schools and colleges in Dahod on Friday in view of the weather warning.Chief minister Bhupendra Patel reviewed the flood and rain situation at the State Emergency Operation Centre in Gandhinagar and spoke with officials from the affected districts. He directed authorities to shift people from low-lying and waterlogged areas to safer locations and assured that additional NDRF teams would be deployed if required.Patel also spoke to Union home minister Amit Shah and sought the Centre’s assistance in rescue and relief operations. Shah assured the Gujarat government of all necessary support, according to an official release cited by PTI.The state government has scaled up disaster management operations, with senior officials, district collectors and revenue officials deployed in affected areas. Rescue teams are working in coordination with local administrations, police and volunteers.The rainfall has also raised concerns over the uneven distribution of the monsoon across Gujarat. South Gujarat has already received more than 62 per cent of its average seasonal rainfall, while several other parts of the state continue to remain rain deficient. Overall, Gujarat has received around 36 per cent of its annual average rainfall for the season, according to SEOC data.With the IMD’s red alerts remaining in place, authorities have urged residents in vulnerable and low-lying areas to remain cautious as rescue and relief operations continue across the rain-hit districts.(With agency inputs)
