The floods triggered by heavy rainfall in Gujarat over the past week has claimed 58 lives, while the state administration has rescued 1,930 people with the help of the NDRF, the armed forces and other agencies.
Briefing the media, State Revenue Minister, Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said that while floods claimed 58 lives, rain-related toll since June was 111. Over 53,000 have been evacuated to safe places and over six lakh food packets distributed, he added.
“Our priority is to avoid loss of lives. All agencies are working round-the-clock,” Chudasama said.
With rains in the region subsiding in the last 24 hours, 8,518 persons have been sent back to their homes. On the loss of crops and property, the Minister said a Central team would arrive soon to assess the damage to agriculture.
“Our own assessment is also on at places such as Saurashtra. The report is expected soon and we will take all measures to minimise farmers’ distress,” Chudasama said.
Aerial surveyAccording to government data, 478 villages in the districts of Banaskantha, Patan and Rajkot remained without electricity supply as on July 26. “We are trying to restore electricity to these villages on a war-footing,” said Pankaj Kumar, Principal Secretary.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had conducted aerial survey of the flood-affected region of Banaskantha and instructed the administration to put the relief work on fast-track. The Prime Minister had announced ₹500 crore immediate Central assistance to Gujarat.
Chudasama said it was the immediate relief announcement, and the Centre would release additional relief to the state.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in the state till the morning of July 29. The state has so far received average rainfall of 555.2 mm or 68.52 per cent of the season’s average. As many as 31 of the 203 reservoirs in the state are full.