Morbi (Gujarat): At least 10 people were rescued and seven individuals were missing after the tractor they were travelling in, overturned while crossing a flooded causeway on a river amid heavy rains in Gujarat’s Morbi, officials said on Monday. The incident took place in Dhawan village of Halvad in the district around 9 pm on Sunday, they said.
Sources said that 17 people were travelling in the tractor. On receiving the information, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) reached the spot and initiated a rescue and relief operation. They added that about 10 of the drowned people were rescued by Monday morning, however, the search operation for the remaining seven is underway.
Morbi Collector KB Javeri said, "Out of 17, four people were rescued and taken out at the same time. Two people including a woman were trapped in the water and were also rescued. Some people came out on their own on the other side of the river. NDRF and SDRF teams are engaged in searching for the missing people."
Several parts of Gujarat were battered by heavy to very heavy rains in the last 24 hours till 6 AM on Monday, forcing authorities to shift hundreds of people to safe places after low-lying areas in Navsari and Valsad districts were inundated due to a rise in the water level of monsoon rivers.
At 356 mm, Khergam taluka in Navsari district recorded the highest rainfall in the last 24 hours ending 6 AM on Monday, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) data showed. During this period, the Dang-Ahwa taluka of the Dang district received 268 mm of rainfall and Kaprada (Valsad district) 263 mm.
Parts of Narmada, Sirendranagar, Rajkot, Tapi, Mahisagarand Morbi, Dahod and Vadodara were among other districts that received over 100 mm of rainfall. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel spoke over the phone to collectors of Morbi, Kutch, Rajkot, Surendranagar and Bhavnagar districts of the Saurashtra region, and Bharuch and Dang districts in south Gujarat late Sunday to review the situation.
Patel instructed the collectors to remain alert and ensure the safety of people and their livestock by constantly monitoring the rainfall situation, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) stated. Amid forecasts for more rains in the state, Chief Secretary Raj Kumar chaired a review meeting on Sunday evening.
The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rains in Gujarat over the next week. "Based on this (forecast), the Chief Secretary instructed the various district administrations to make all necessary preparations. He instructed the officers and employees of the district and taluka administrative system to be present on duty at the headquarters considering the prevailing rain situation," stated an official release.
The chief secretary said the administrations should remain especially vigilant in places where people are likely to gather in large numbers considering the upcoming festivals during Shravan month to avert any rain-related tragedy.
Local administration should also ensure that roads closed due to flooding are restored immediately and electricity supply is not disrupted for long. With the current spell of rains, districts in south Gujarat have received over 105 per cent of the average annual rainfall so far, the highest in the state.
Eight districts of south Gujarat and Saurashtra have received more than 100 per cent of their average annual rainfall. All other districts recorded more than 50 per cent of the average annual rainfall so far this season, the SEOC data showed. (With Agency Inputs)
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