Severe flooding in Gujarat, IMD predicts heavy rainfall in 12 districts, six Army contingents deployed

Severe flooding in Gujarat, IMD predicts heavy rainfall in 12 districts, six Army contingents deployed

durgesh dubey
29 Aug, 2024

Gujarat

Gujarat is facing a severe flood crisis as relentless heavy rainfall continues to batter the state, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a ‘red’ alert for multiple regions on Thursday, August 19. The deep depression over Saurashtra and Kachchh is expected to intensify as it moves toward the northeast Arabian Sea, potentially leading to even more heavy rainfall. Despite ongoing rescue and evacuation efforts, the death toll from rain-related incidents has risen to 28 in the past three days.

The IMD has warned of extremely heavy rainfall in 12 districts, including Kachchh, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Morbi, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar, and Botad. On Wednesday, parts of the Saurashtra region, including Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Rajkot, and Porbandar, received 50mm to 200mm of rainfall within a 12-hour span, with Bhanvad taluka in Devbhoomi Dwarka district recording the state’s highest at 185mm, as per PTI reports.

Six Army contingents have been deployed to assist the 14 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 22 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams in rescue and relief operations. State relief commissioner Alok Pandey stated that approximately 40,000 people have been evacuated from flood-hit areas. NDRF Inspector Manjit reported that 95 people have been rescued so far, particularly in Dwarka, where water has inundated homes.

Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel informed that over 5,000 people have been relocated to safer locations. However, the death toll continues to climb, reaching 28 fatalities from rain-related incidents across the state.

The IMD noted that the deep depression over Saurashtra and Kachchh has remained nearly stationary for the past six hours, located about 50 km north-northwest of Bhuj, Gujarat. It is expected to move west-southwest and enter the northeast Arabian Sea by the morning of August 30, with a possibility of slight intensification over the sea.

The IMD has also issued a red alert for 11 districts in Gujarat, including Kachchh and Saurashtra, and a yellow alert for 22 other districts on August 29 as heavy rains persist. At least 26 people have died, and over 23,000 have been evacuated from flood-stricken areas as downpours continue for the fourth consecutive day, according to PTI.

Flood-related fatalities have been reported in districts such as Rajkot, Anand, Mahisagar, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Morbi, Junagadh, and Bharuch. Although rainfall has subsided in Vadodara, flooding has occurred in several low-lying areas due to the Vishwamitri River breaching its banks.

Rescue operations are ongoing, with over 6,000 individuals being relocated as water levels in rivers and dams rise across the state. The IMD predicts that the depression will move west-southwest across the Saurashtra and Kachchh regions, reaching the Pakistani coast by August 29.

The Gujarat government has requested six Indian Army columns for relief efforts in Dwarka, Anand, Vadodara, Kheda, Morbi, and Rajkot districts.