Gujarat Rains : 4 dead, 6370 evacuated
TNN Bureau. Updated: 7/23/2017 1:44:21 AM
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Gujarat: Four persons were killed and over 6370 persons were evacuated to safer places as heavy rains and floodwaters that wrecked havoc in many parts of Gujarat, forcing the state government to seek the help of Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army, on Saturday.
These 4 deaths are in addition to the 61 persons who have already died across the state, in rain-related incidents, this monsoon.
Between 0830 to 0530 hours on Saturday, Ahmedabad received 86 mm rainfall, followed by Deesa (76mm) and Gandhinagar (71mm). The local meteorological department has forecast "heavy to very heavy rain at few places" in the state on Sunday.
Assistance of the Indian Army and the Air Force were sought today. Armymen rescued 35 people including a 3-day-old infant stranded across Godara river in Kuda village near Dhrangadhara. "Having received a requisition from the state government around 12 pm, the Indian Army's Golden Katar Division mobilised one column (about 80-100 personnel) of troops along a medical team and one engineer task force carrying specialised equipment to bolster the ongoing rescue and relief work in the worst flood-affected district of Surendranagar," said defence spokesperson Wing Commander Abhishek Matiman. The Army is also distributing food and medicines to those affected by the floods.
Four MI-17V5 helicopters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were also pressed in for rescue work. At least 14 persons were airlifted, including 11 who were stranded on a rooftop in Malia Miyana village of Morbi district. A helicopter was also called in to recuse people from three different villages in Limbdi, Sayla and Chotila talukas of the Surendranagar district. However the NDRF and other rescue teams deployed on ground extricated the stranded villagers before the helicopter arrived, official sources said.
Among those evacuated in the state, 2620 persons belonged to Morbi district, where Maachu dam overflowed. Another 2,245 persons were evacuated from Pipadiyad, Miyava, Dharadungari, Chotila, Untadi and other villages in neighbouring Surendranagar district in operations that began late night on Friday. Another 250 persons were evacuated to safety in Rajkot.