Gujarat rains: Approximately 12,000 people evacuated from low-lying areas

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], September 18 : Amidst heavy rains lashing Gujarat and creating flood-like situations, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Monday said that relief and rescue operations are being carried out by the administration and Disaster Response Force has been deployed in rescue operations at various places in the State.
Approximately 11,900 people from low-lying areas of districts including Vadodara, Bharuch, Narmada, Dahod, Panchmahal, Anand and Gandhinagar have shifted to safe shelters, where their food and health-related services are also being taken care of, the chief minister said.
The chief minister said that he is in coordination with the collectors of the respective districts affected by heavy rains and presently 10 contingents of both NDRF and SDRF have are deployed in rescue operations at various places.
Over 270 civilians have been successfully rescued and work of removing fallen trees on the roads has begun to restore vehicular movement quickly, Patel said.
Water levels were hovering, over 40 feet, nearly 12 feet above the danger mark of 28 feet, on Bridge No. 502 between Bharuch - Ankleshwar on the River Narmada, forcing closure of the railway traffic and cancellations.
The chief minister has appealed to people in the State to follow the instructions given by the system from time to time and provide necessary support to the system.
Earlier, on Monday, Indian army officials at Vadodara, responding to the Gujarat Civil Administration, rescued 12 stranded civilians from a flood-affected area and provided necessary medical assistance to them.

"Team reached the site at Night and carried rescue of four women, two senior citizens and three children to safety and provided necessary medical assistance" further read the post.
Twelve people were rescued by the Army and villagers at the Vyas Bet of Barkal village after the Narmada River witnessed a rise in water level.

Meanwhile, visuals from Bharuch showed a flood-like situation in parts of the city due to incessant rainfall.

At least 18 trains, including Mumbai-Ahmedabad Tejas Express and Shatabdi Express have been cancelled due to the floods, according to a Western Railway release.
According to the Indian Meterological Department, extremely heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places in the districts.
"The low-pressure area in South-East Rajasthan yesterday has turned less morbid today. Still, circulation is persistent due to which rainfall will occur in Gujarat. Extremely heavy rainfall can occur at isolated places in the districts, Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Morbi, and Junagadh and very heavy rainfall in Samarkantha, Kutch, Surendranagar, Bhavnagar, Gir Somnath, Devbhumi Dwarka...," says IMD Scientist Ramashray Yadav.
Bharuch Collector Tushar Sumera on Monday said that for the last two days, the level of the Narmada river on the Golden Bridge has been hovering around 40-41ft.
“Still, it is 40ft and there are chances for its reduction. Wherever there was water, it has now receded. 5,700 people have been shifted already. By and large, the situation is under control," he said.
On Sunday the level of the Narmada River was at 40ft and there are chances for its reduction and water has also receded in most of the locations, Bharuch Collector said.
On Saturday, as many as 23 out of 30 gates of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada dam in Kevadia Colony were opened to release 5.5 lakh cusecs of water.
Meanwhile, amid a surge in water levels in Narmada, SDRF teams were deployed in the district.
Narmada Corporation is making careful efforts to maintain the water level in the dam and continuously working to reduce the impact of floods, they said.