The Hindu : Front Page : Floods in south, central Gujarat

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Monday, Jul 31, 2006

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Floods in south, central Gujarat

Manas Dasgupta

Situation eases in western Maharashtra; discharge from dams reduced

Photo: AP

OBSTACLE COURSE: A motorcyclist goes through a flooded street at Vadodara on Sunday. Authorities have evacuated many people from low-level areas.

GANDHINAGAR: Heavy rains continued to lash most parts of south and central Gujarat on Sunday, resulting in the overflowing of many rivers and irrigation dams.

Swirling waters of the Viswamitri, flowing through Vadodara city, entered many slum colonies on its banks. In nearby Padra town, which received more than 450 mm rainfall in the last 48 hours, fire brigade personnel were deputed to evacuate people from housing colonies surrounded by floodwaters.

At least seven persons were killed in the State in incidents related to heavy rain and resultant floods during the last 24 hours, taking the season's toll to 41. (Agencies put the toll at 15.)

People evacuated

While two persons were drowned in a small river in Sabarkantha district, two were electrocuted in Anand and Sabarkantha districts.

Two persons in Broach district and a child in Surat district were killed in incidents of wall collapse.

More than 65,000 people in south and central Gujarat have so far been evacuated to safer places, with the number rising as reports of inundation of low-lying areas continue to pour in. Heavy showers also affected rail and road traffic. The State and panchayat highways in many places lie under water. Railway services between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, which was suspended last night due to flooding of tracks between Kim and Kosamba stations near Surat, was resumed on Sunday evening.

But five trains, including the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Karnavati Express were cancelled.

Modi convenes meeting

Chief Minister Narendra Modi convened a high-level meeting of his Cabinet members and senior Government officials to review the situation. It was decided to issue a high alert to all district administrations to gear up rescue and relief machinery in view of forecasts for heavy rainfall in the next 48 hours.

Mr. Modi later told mediapersons that the administration was tackling the problem and the Government machinery was ready for the purpose.

Vadodara city and district were the worst affected in the heavy showers, while the situation improved in Surat and Ahmedabad cities on Sunday following a let-up in the rain.

Purna, Ambica, Viswamitri, Bhukhi and a number of other major rivers were flowing above the danger mark.

Almost all major irrigation dams, including Ajwa and Vanakbori in central Gujarat and Aaji, Bhadar, Shetrunji and several others in the Saurashtra region, have started overflowing, thus threatening villages lying downstream.

Army help sought

PTI, UNI report from Pune:

With the intensity of rains lessening in the past 24 hours and reduced discharge from dams in western Maharashtra, the situation in the flood-hit districts of Pune, Kolhapur, Satara and Sangli has begun to improve, officials said on Sunday.

Many low-lying areas were inundated following heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of rivers and dams.

Local authorities are alerting people on river beds and seeking the Army's help for rescue and relief operations.

Although the Army was not deployed in Pune, the troops helped in operations in the remaining districts.

In the Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal limit of Pune district some 175 families were shifted, while 295 families were taken to safer places from the Pune Municipal Corporation limits, Pune Resident Deputy Collector Suhas Divse said.

Mr. Divse said heavy rains had not been experienced since Saturdaynight and the situation had improved considerably with water level reducing by around 1.5 feet in inundated areas.

He said the discharge from the Khadakwasala dam had been reduced to 46,000 cusecs from 50,000 cusecs.

In Nasik, people living along the banks of the Godavari were alerted following the rise in water level after the release of 12,648 cusecs water from the Gangapur dam, officials said.

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