Hundreds Evacuated Due to Heavy Rains in Gujarat

Incessant rains in the past 48 hours have caused flooding in low-lying areas, disrupting normal life and traffic movement. According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, Vapi taluka in Valsad district received 326 millimetres of rainfall in a 24-hour period, the highest in the state, while Khergam in Navsari got 248 mm of rain. This severe weather has also affected districts like Surat, Tapi, and Narmada.

More than 600 individuals living in low-lying areas in Valsad were relocated to safety due to heavy rains. Additionally, 17 people were shifted in Bilimora city after flooding in low-lying areas. The administration is closely monitoring rising water levels of the Purna and Kaveri rivers.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has instructed collectors to take all necessary steps to provide relief to people, including timely evacuation and ensuring the safety of livestock. State and National Disaster Response Forces (SDRF and NDRF) teams have been deployed to provide assistance as needed. Amid the rainfall in catchment areas, the water level of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam rose sharply and stood at 135.30 metres on Sunday, just below its full-reservoir capacity of 138.68 metres.

The state’s reservoirs are at 65 percent of their total storage capacity, with 72 put on high alert and 15 on alert due to a sharp rise in their water level. Gujarat has received 81.81 percent of average annual rainfall so far this season, with different regions experiencing varying levels of rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rain in several districts, with isolated extremely heavy rain expected in some areas.

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