Gujarat Battles Heavy Rains and Flooding: Relief Efforts Underway

Several parts of Gujarat faced heavy rainfall on Monday, with significant damage reported. Bharuch received 120mm of rain in just two hours. The IMD forecasts more rain this week. Government authorities are actively engaged in relief efforts, evacuations, and infrastructure repairs as flooding impacts the region.

Several parts of Gujarat received heavy rain on Monday, with Bharuch city getting 120 millimetres between 4 pm and 6 pm, officials said.

The India Meteorological Department has forecast widespread rain in the state this week. Monday's rain came after a two-day pause. The state had seen extremely heavy rains last week, which caused widespread flooding.

During the day, south Gujarat districts such as Bharuch, Tapi, Dangs and Navsari received heavy rain, with Songadh and Vyara talukas of Tapi district and Vaghai in Dangs getting more than 200mm in a 12-hour period ending at 6 pm, data from the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) showed.

Bharuch city got 120 mm between 4 pm and 6 pm. Purna and Ambika rivers in Navsari district were flowing above the danger mark and a high alert has been sounded. These are among 10 rivers and 132 reservoirs that are flowing above the danger mark in the state, an official said.

The IMD has forecast 'heavy to very heavy' rain in isolated places in Chhota Udepur, Narmada and Surat districts until Wednesday morning. It has also predicted widespread rain across the state during the next three days, with isolated heavy rain to continue in some parts until Saturday.

The IMD said cyclone 'Asna' that had formed off the coast of Kutch on Friday had turned into a depression and moved further south-southwestwards in the Arabian sea on Monday.

In an update, the state government said 132 reservoirs are on high alert, while 10 rivers are overflowing. The water in the state's 206 reservoirs stands at 79 percent of their total capacity, as per the update.

Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi visited Vadodara during the day to review the relief and restoration work due to flooding caused by heavy rains last week.

A total of 20,000 people were evacuated from flooded localities and 6,330 rescued in Vadodara in the last few days following heavy rains. With flood water receding, health surveillance is being carried out door-to-door to prevent the outbreak of vector-borne diseases, the official said.

The government has given Rs 1.76 crore to 64,360 affected persons in the city, as well as Rs 56 lakh to 84,970 persons in rural areas of the district. Furthermore, Rs 2.44 crore was distributed to 9,768 families as household assistance. Efforts are being made to repair damaged roads. A total of 3,610 km length of road under the state Roads and Buildings Department was damaged due to rains last week. It is being repaired on a war footing. A total of 466 teams involving around 6,487 workers are engaged in the exercise.

Around 139 kilometres of a total 2,894 kilometres of roads under the National Highway Authority of India were damaged and are being repaired, it added.

(With inputs from agencies.)