7 killed in rain-related incidents in Gujarat, thousands relocated

At least seven persons have died in rain-related incidents in different parts of Gujarat, and heavy showers continued to pound the state for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, 27 August throwing normal life out of gear and flooding low-lying areas, officials said.

More than 6,000 persons have been relocated to safer places as water levels in dams and rivers rose amid incessant rainfall, they said.

According to officials, seven persons lost their lives in rain-related incidents on Monday, 26 August. Four persons were killed in wall collapse incidents in Gandhinagar, Kheda and Vadodara districts, while one person died after a tree fell on him and two others drowned in Anand district.

The administrations of Panchmahal, Navsari, Valsad, Vadodara, Bharuch, Kheda, Gandhinagar, Botad and Aravali districts shifted hundreds of people to safer locations as a precautionary measure amid flooding in low-lying areas as water levels rose in rivers and dams.

In Panchmahal, the district administration shifted around 2,000 people, while 1,000 were relocated in Vadodara, 1,200 in Navsari, and 800 in Valsad, among other areas, officials said.

As per data shared by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), the state has received nearly 100 per cent of its average annual rainfall so far, with Kutch, Saurashtra and south Gujarat accounting for more than 100 per cent of their average annual rainfall this season.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast isolated extremely heavy rainfall in most parts of the state on Tuesday, 27 August in the Saurashtra-Kutch region on Wednesday and Thursday, 28 and 29 August, and heavy to very heavy rains across the state till Thursday.

Tankara taluka in Morbi district received 347 mm of rainfall in 24 hours ending at 6 am on Tuesday, the highest in the state, followed by Morva Hadaf in Panchmahal (346 mm), Nadiad in Kheda (327 mm), Borsad in Anand (318 mm), Vadodara taluka (316 mm) and Anand taluka (314 mm).

At least 24 out of 251 talukas received more than 200 mm rainfall, and 91 talukas received more than 100 mm showers in 24 hours, the SEOC said.

A fresh spell of rainfall on Tuesday battered Rajkot city, inundating low-lying areas, roads and underpasses. Rajkot city alone received 142 mm of rainfall in four hours since 6 am, the SEOC data showed.

Apart from this, Surendranagar, Kheda, and Devbhumi Dwarka were also battered by rains in the morning hours.

The state government, in an update, said 96 reservoirs were flowing above danger levels, and a high alert was sounded for them. A warning was issued for 19 reservoirs flowing near their danger marks.