The Hindu : National : Army deployed for rescue work in two Gujarat districts

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Saturday, Sep 09, 2006

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Army deployed for rescue work in two Gujarat districts

Special Correspondent

20 villages submerged in Sabarmati floodwaters

GANDHINAGAR: The Army and para-military forces have been deployed in Gujarat's Anand and Kaira districts for rescue and relief operations as more than 20 villages were submerged in the Sabarmati floodwaters following heavy discharge from the Dharoi dam.

As rain poured all over north Gujarat, with Deodar town receiving a record 400 mm precipitation in the last 24 hours, the discharge from the dam was stepped up from 1.5 lakh to more than 4 lakh cusecs on Friday. In addition to the Sabarmati, several small rivers joining the Gulf of Cambay are in spate, inundating villages in central Gujarat districts. In Deodar, more than 100 houses collapsed or were partially damaged, but there was no casualty.

The rescue teams are on stand-by in Dholka taluk in Ahmedabad district where, besides the Sabarmati, six smaller rivers including the Vatrak, the Sheri and the Majum join the sea.

This is the fourth time this monsoon that the Dholka region is experiencing flash floods. Agricultural crops, particularly cotton, have been washed away.

Respite for Surat

Surat, however, had a respite as the discharge from the Ukai dam was reduced to less than one lakh cusecs, while the level in the Mahi river, threatening Panchamahals, Vadodara, Kaira and Anand districts, fell on Friday.

The Narmada continued to flow about three metres above the constructed level of 119 metres at the Sardar Sarovar dam.

An official spokesman said the rainfall in the State this year was 142 per cent more than the average.

The north Gujarat districts of Banaskantha, Sabarkantha and Mehsana received more than 200 per cent of the season's average rainfall.

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