Gujarat Floods: Heavy Rains Claim 35 Lives; 17,800 Moved To Safe Places

Gujarat has been facing massive rainfall over the past few days. The death toll from the rain-related incidents in Gujarat since Monday has jumped to 35 as 25 more deaths have been reported. Around 17,800 people were evacuated from flood-affected areas as heavy rain continued to batter the state for the fourth day in a row, officials said.

Out of the 35 deaths, 25 occurred recently. Among the deceased include seven persons who went missing after the tractor trolley they were travelling in was swept away while crossing an overflowing causeway on Sunday near Dhavana village under Halvad taluka of Morbi district, a police official said, PTI reported.

#WATCH | Gujarat | Heavy and incessant rain triggers waterlogging at places in Vadodara.

Visuals from Kashi Vishwanath Mahadev Temple pic.twitter.com/zsNTRwuOA4

— ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2024

Despite a temporary pause in rainfall, Vadodara struggled with severe flooding in extensive low-lying areas after the Vishwamitri River, which runs through the city, overflowed its banks and inundated residential neighbourhoods, flooding buildings, roads, and vehicles.

Amidst the flood-like situation prevailing in many parts of Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday to take stock of the situation and assured the Centre's support to the state in tackling the ongoing natural disaster.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted extremely heavy rains in isolated parts of districts in Saurashtra on Thursday. In a post on X, IMD said that DD over Saurashtra & Kachchh remained practically stationary during the past 6 hrs and about 50 km north-northwest of Bhuj (Gujarat)."To move W-SW and emerge into the northeast Arabian Sea by the morning of 30th August. While moving W-SW over the northeast Arabian Sea away from the Indian coast, there is a possibility of its temporary and marginal intensification over the northeast Arabian Sea on 30th August," IMD said.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the state’s SDRF, and three Army units rescued people stranded in their homes and on rooftops in Vadodara city, relocating them to safer areas, officials said.