Ahmedabad: The situation in Gujarat, severely affected by incessant rain, gradually improved on Thursday as the downpours decreased. However, Vadodara and other areas of the state are still experiencing flooding following the overflowing of rivers, and rescue and relief efforts are still ongoing.
For the second day in a row, Prime Minister Narendra Modi enquired about the status with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, reviewing the status of affairs. In addition, he asked the CM to make sure that appropriate measures were taken to stop the spread of illnesses following floods.
On Thursday, the number of fatalities from rain-related events reached 28.
Vadodara, the worst-hit city due to recent downpours, heaved a sigh of relief as the water level of the Vishwamitri River came down from 37 feet to 32 feet in the morning. However, several low-lying areas are still inundated.
The river had crossed the danger mark of 25 feet on Tuesday morning following heavy rains and the release of water from Ajwa dam.
In a post on X, CM Patel said, "Gujarat has been receiving incessant rains for the last three days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called me up today on the second straight day and inquired about the situation." "He expressed concern over the floods in Vishwamitri river and wanted to know about what relief and rescue measures are being taken for people of Vadodara," the CM said.
The PM took stock of the relief measures in all the districts of the state and assured all help to the state. He also instructed that proper measures for cleaning be taken to ensure that diseases do not spread after floods, Patel added.
In the 24 hours ending at 6 am, Bhanvad in Devbhumi Dwarka district recorded 295 mm of rainfall, while Abdasa in Kutch received 276 mm, while Kalyanpur in Devbhumi Dwarka witnessed 263 mm of rainfall.
Twenty talukas in Gujarat received over 100 mm of rainfall during this period, official data said.
Mandvi taluka in Kutch recorded 101 mm of rainfall in four hours ending at 10 am.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has given a warning of heavy rains in the coastal areas of Saurashtra and Kutch on Thursday.
Teams of the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), its state counterpart SDRF along with local administration are engaged in relief and rescue operations in the most affected districts of Vadodara, Dwarka, Jamnagar, Rajkot and Kutch, officials said. (With inputs from agencies)
