Rivers on a swell in Saurashtra following massive downpour, more rains likely

Heavy downpour in parts of Saurashtra in Gujarat has flooded villages and cities including Rajkot and Jamnagar on Monday. At least one person is reported dead due to drowning of a car, while over 300 people have been rescued from flood-hit districts of Rajkot and Jamnagar, and more than 6,000 people have been shifted to safer places amidst constant heavy rainfall through the Monday.

Speaking to Businessline , Jamnagar Collector, Sourabh Pardhi informed that parts of rural areas and the Jamnagar city faced severe flooding due to incessant rains in the 12-hours ended till Monday 6 pm.

Rescue initiatives

“Kalavad has been the worst-hit sub-division. It has received about 14-15 inch rainfall in past 12 hours. And Jamnagar rural has received about 4-5 inch rainfall in past two hours. We are shifting people to safer places and over 100 people have been rescued with the help of NDRF and military helicopters,” said Pardhi adding that over 5,500 people from the district and Jamnagar town have been shifted to safer places.

The situation is similar in the neighbouring Rajkot district, where about 275 people have been evacuated from taluka areas and over 1,000 were shifted to safer places till Monday evening. So far, one death was reported due to drowning as a car was flushed away in the flood waters.

Officials informed that the administration is equipped to tackle further rains as more teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) along with local fire and safety teams are joining for the rescue and shifting operations.

“Additional NDRF teams are joining us and one SDRF team will also arrive today. So, we are ready to tackle further heavy rains, if required,” said KB Thakkar, Resident Additional Collector, Rajkot.

Heavy downpour

As per the Gujarat State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), Rajkot district’s Lodhika taluka received over 504 mm (or 20 inches) of rainfall in 12 hours ending 6 pm. Junagadh district’s Visavadar and Jamnagar district’s Kalavad Talukas received about 364 and 348 mm respectively (about 15 inches), causing massive flooding.

Visuals of IAF choppers rescuing the stranded villagers went viral on social media, while streets in urban centers of Rajkot and Jamnagar districts were flooded with rainwater thereby drowning vehicles which brought the normal life to a grinding halt.

In its forecast, the India Meteorological Department has issued weather warning for next three days for heavy to very heavy rains in parts of Saurashtra, South Gujarat and Central Gujarat districts.

Till September 13, the State has received 64 per cent of its average rainfall at 541.32 mm so far as against 840 mm for the long period average. The rainfall deficit has reduced from about 60 per cent last month to about 36 per cent currently.