Heavy Saurashtra rains: Van swept away, man feared drowned

A pick-up van was swept away due to strong river currents after Gujarat's Saurashtra received heavy rainfall on Sunday. Two men managed to escape but one person was feared drowned. Cops have initiated the rescue operations.

Ahmedabad: A man was feared drowned while two others managed to save themselves on Sunday when their pick-up van was swept away due to strong river current on the outskirts of Rajkot in Gujarat, officials said.

The Bolero vehicle was crossing a bridge that had been overrun by water from the Khokhardar river, an Aji Dam police station official said.

"There were three people in the van, two of whom managed to come out of the vehicle in time. The third person is missing and rescue efforts by fire brigade and police are continuing," he said.

Saurashtra, of which Rajkot is a part, has received heavy rainfall during the day.

The State Emergency Operations Centre said districts of Saurashtra like Gir Somnath, Junagadh, Amreli, Morbi, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka received heavy rainfall.

READ: Earthquake of 4.2 magnitude hits Gujarat's Kutch district

Sutrapada taluka of Gir Somnath got 99 millimeters of rain in just four hours between 12 noon and 4 pm.

Visavadar taluka of Junagadh received 77 mm rainfall between 6 am and 4 pm and Amreli's Khambha got 69 mm rainfall during this period.

The Ahmedabad centre of the India Meteorological Department said a low-pressure area has formed over Kutch and neighbouring regions which is very likely to become more marked during the next 24 hours.

The IMD predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated places in Saurashtra, north and south Gujarat over the next three days. PTI