Toll reaches 69, South Gujarat worst-hit
Heavy torrential rains that lasted for two days in the state claimed 18 lives taking the total death toll to 69 so far in this monsoon season.

The Navsari district administration has shifted 14,149 persons to safer places due to heavy rains. Due to heavy rains more than 296 roads of 10 districts have been damaged. The district authorities have also distributed food packets to the people who were affected by the rains.

Meanwhile one person died in Ahmedabad and the city recorded more than 62 mm of rain in the last 24 hours. The city fire brigade received 70 complaints of water logging. Around 30 trees in the city collapsed in the rain.

Followed by heavy rains in last two day, the state government has declared high alert and warned the people staying in low lying areas of 30 dams in Jamnagar, Kutch, Porbandar, Dahod, Bharuch and Surat districts to shift to safe places.

With the continuation of heavy rains in Kutch region the district authorities sounded high alert after about 16 dams have filled to the brink. So far in Kutch five persons have been killed due to heavy rains.

The rains have also claimed lives of cattle in the state. According to information in Kutch alone 145 animals were killed whereas in Mehsana 41 animals and in Surat two animals were killed.

Torrential rains continued to lash the state as South Gujarat region was worst hit. One to 14 inches of rains was recorded in the last 24 hours in 140 talukas of the state. Gandevi and Navsari taluka received more than 14 inches of rains, while Jalolpor taluka had 12 inches of rains, Dangs received 11 inches of rains in the last 24 hours and the Choriyasi, Mahua and Vyara taluka of Surat district had more than 10 inches of rains in the last 24 hours.

The state government has issued a precautionary warning and asked the masses to cooperate. Relief commissioner Pankaj Kumar appealed people not to take bath in rivers, ponds or canals as they are overflowing due to incessant rainfall. People are told not to cross small bridge or cross-way by foot or vehicles. He also advised people to remain away from electric wire or poll and not to stand under trees.

Fishermen have also been warned against venturing into sea all along the 1,600 feet cost.

A warning has also been sounded at all the major ports in the state. In the rains that lashed the state in the last 24 hours last 24 hours Prantij recorded eight inches of rains, Dabhoi had 7 inches of rains and Nadiad had eight inches of rains.

The flood situation in Kutch district is slowly coming in control while the state while rains continued in some of talukas of Kutch. The rescue and relief operations like dropping of food packets and fodder in the villages continued on Monday.

The Narmada dam at Kevadia colony in Narmada district has been overflowing by 0.6 meter above dam’s height. The Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited authorities have intimated the residents of the adjacent areas to the dam on Monday morning against the probable flood. Heavy rainfall continued in Baroda also that claimed two lives when a house collapsed in Padra taluka on Monday early morning.

The SSNNL authorities on Monday maintained that the water level at the dam is at 104.5 metre that is 0.6 meter above the dam’s height of 103.9 metre.

The SSNNL chief engineer P.M. Patel at Kevadia colony informed The Asian Age, "The continuous rainfall in Narmada district and in Madhya Pradesh has raised the water level alarmingly. About 2.5 lakh cubic/second water is flowing over the dam. The level is increasing rapidly and by Tuesday morning it is expected to go up to 107.75 metre." Against the dam’s height of 103.9 metre (including humps), the water level on Monday around 11 am rose to about 102.9 metre.

"However, we have informed the district authorities and other concerned officials of other districts also," added Mr Patel. On the other hand the Narmada district collector D.G. Jhalavadia told The Asian Age that the areas situated on bank of Narmada have been intimated about the condition and the administration is prepared to cop up with any crisis in the district.

The Baroda collector Bhagyesh Jha has also warned against the probable flood in the villages of Shinor, Karjan and Dabhoi taluka that are located on the bank of Narmada river.

In Surendranagar, in damage was caused in Areveda lake following rush of Narmada canal water in the lake. The district authorities have warned the people of eight villages living around the lake as the water is oozing out of the lake. Team form district collectorate has been sent to the lake to assess the situation.

Republished from The Asian Age