Gujarat floods: Runway of Ahmedabad airport damaged; PM Narendra Modi to meet state MPs today

Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday is expected to meet Gujarat MPs to discuss the flood situation in the state.

Due to heavy rain, runway of Ahmedabad airport has been damaged. Two Air India flights have been diverted to Mumbai.

PM Modi on Tuesday announced Rs 500 crore for Gujarat for rescue work after an aerial survey of the flooded areas and Rs 2 lakh compensation to the kin of the 83 people who have died and Rs 50,000 to the injured.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel during the aerial survey.

Meanwhile, military was on Tuesday called out to help in relief and rescue operations in some districts of Gujarat after copious rains caused floods, leaving thousands of people marooned.

Incessant rain has thrown normal life out of gear in several areas and caused flood in Banaskantha and Patan districts.

The state administration has declared a state-wide "high alert" and called out Army, Air Force and NDRF teams for assistance.

Tharad town has received maximum rainfall of 24 inches, followed by Dhanera 20 inches, Dantiwada 18, Palanpur 15, Deesa and Diyodar 13 inches each, Patan 12 inches and Vadgam about 11 inches.

While Dholidhaja, Vansal and Nimbam dams in Surendranagar, Machchhu-1 and Ghodadharoi in Morbi and Kankawati dam in Jamnagar districts have received up to 90 per cent of their water storage capacity.

Twenty-three dams in Saurashtra, four in Kutch, four in central Gujarat and one dam in south Gujarat were full to the brim.