Rain fury abates in state
Hardpressed state administration heaved a sigh relief as rain was recorded only in Mehsana and Patan district on Tuesday after hectic rescue work in Kutch and South Gujarat for the past two days as incessant rains lashed those regions.

The water level in Ambica and Purna rivers in South Gujarat dropped as people who were evacuated from the areas near the river returned to their houses.

In Surendranagar district 10 villages of Patdi taluka were flooded as the Arevada lake developed breach due to vigorous flow of Narmada canal water in the lake. The villages were cut off from the rest of the district as over 8 feet of water is reported to have accumulated in the villages.

As per reports 183 houses have collapsed in the 10 villages and crop has been washed out. Surendranagar district officials are coordinating relief and rescue operations in the area. Around 250 people have been shifted to safer places.

Most of the 15,000 people who were evacuated in Navsari district have returned to their homes as the water level in Purna and Ambica river have receded. In the last 24 hours, Hariz and Sami taluka in Patan district received more than four inches of rains, whereas Satalpur and Sidhpur taluka had more than 5 inches of rains. Becharaji in Mehsana also had more than five inches of rains. Dholka in Ahmedabad received four inches and Kapadwanj and Kheda also had four inches of rains.

The state government has decided to provide financial assistance to the kins of the 70 people who died in the flood situation in the state, says a release.

Relief and rescue work is going on in full swing in Kutch. The people of the 42 villages in Banni region have been accommodated in relief camps in Bhuj. Army helicopters and jawans are assisting the relief work in the flooded areas of Kutch.

Meanwhile, water levels in 54 dams increased due to the heavy rains in the last three days. The state’s 184 water reservoirs has 45 per cent water in them against their total storage capacity. Thirty seven dams has more than 90 per cent water beyond its storage capacity where the state government has declared high alert.

Of the 12 dams filled to 80 per cent capacity alert has been declared.

Republished from The Asian Age