17 hours ago
249 evacuated in Surat as rain continues to lash state, orange alert in many districts till June 30
As rain continued to lash Gujarat on Tuesday, Narmada, Dahod, Panchmahal, Valsad and Tapi were the worst-affected districts. A total of 249 people, including 85 students, were on Tuesday evacuated in Surat.
Till 6 pm, 120 talukas across the state received rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also issued an 'orange alert' for several districts till June 30.
Nandod and Tilakwada in Narmada district received 220 mm (8.66 inch) and 181 mm (7.13 inch) rainfall, respectively, from 6 am till 4 pm.
Among talukas, which received heavy rainfall, were Dahod at 180 mm, Shehera in Panchmahal (159 mm), Vapi in Valsad (154 mm), Jetpur Pavi in Chhota Udepur (152 mm), Dharampur (144 mm) and Pardi (130 mm) in Valsad, Songadh in Tapi (128 mm), Garudeshwar in Narmada (125 mm), Vyara in Tapi (124 mm), Bardoli in Surat (124 mm), Godhra (117 mm) and Morva Hadaf (117 mm) in Panchmahal, Khergam in Navsari (116 mm), Sankheda in Chhota Udepur (112 mm), Halol in Panchmahal (107 mm), Lunawada in Mahisagar (103 mm), Dediapada in Narmada (103 mm), and Netrang in Bharuch (101 mm).
Surat city and its talukas also witnessed heavy rainfall over the last 24 hours, leading to a rise in the water levels of creeks and rivers. As several areas were inundated with rainwater, schools in Surat remained shut on Tuesday. Water also entered shops and basements of textile markets, causing significant loss to traders.
As per data from the Surat flood control department, from 8am on Monday till 4pm on Tuesday, Surat city received 170 mm of rainfall, Olpad 47 mm, Umarpada 92 mm, Mandvi 93 mm, Kamrej 139 mm, Choryasi 38 mm, Palsana 93 mm, Bardoli 168 mm and Mahuva 111 mm.
A total of 62 roads in the different talukas of Surat were closed and villagers were advised to take alternate routes. Policemen were deployed on these roads to keep people away.
On Tuesday morning, Surat District Education Officer Dr Bhagirathsinh Parmar instructed government and self-financed primary, secondary, and higher secondary schools to keep their schools closed on Tuesday. Meanwhile, water entered Adarsh Residential School campus in Sarthana on Tuesday afternoon, prompting fire department officials of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) to rescue 85 students and 15 teachers. They were evacuated and shifted to an SMC-run school in Sarthana. Surat Municipal Commissioner Shalini Agrawal visited the school on Tuesday afternoon to review arrangements made for the students.
Besides, 149 residents of Gangapur and Dhamdod villages in Palsana taluka were rescued after water entered their homes, and were shifted to a nearby government primary school.
A student from Surat's Katodara village, who had to take his examination at a centre in Katargam was dropped at the centre by a PCR van after he called for help. Apart from this, as rainwater entered Halpativas in Bardoli's Baben village, food and water were distributed to around 500 people by the district panchayat officials.
After an electric pole at the Antroli crossroad junction in Surat collapsed, the power distribution and traffic were affected. Services were later restored.
SMC teams reached inundated areas, accompanied by mobile medical vans, conducted health screenings and distributed medicines to people. Teams also reached Mithi Creek and Dumbhal Fire Station areas and cleared waterlogged areas. Cleaning staffers were also deployed in other zones.
Federation of Surat Trade and Textile Association chief Kailash Hakim said, 'The rainwater accumulated in the basements and ground floors of around ten markets, including Raghukul, J D textile market, Silk Plaza, Millennium textile market 1, Someshwara, Anmol. We have appealed to the management of the markets to allow traders to shift their goods to empty floors or shops. There were power cuts at ten textile markets. The market authorities have started clearing the water.'
Orange alert has been issued for Banaskantha and Sabarkantha on June 26; Sabarkantha and Aravalli on June 27; Banaskantha and Sabarkantha June 28, Banaskantha and Sabarkantha on June 29; and Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Navsari and Valsad for June 30 — with forecasts of heavy to very heavy rainfall. The weather department has predicted heavy rainfall for the rest of the state till June 30.
