Six killed in Gujarat and Telangana as heavy rains continue

Five persons died in Gujarat and one in Telangana as heavy rains continued in the two states on Thursday. Thousands of residents have been evacuated from their homes to relief camps.

Three women were killed after a wall collapsed in Ahmedabad district of Gujarat, The Indian Express reported. One casualty each was reported in Amreli and Gir Somnath districts.

Flood-like situation prevailed on Thursday in Gujarat as the India Meteorological Department issued a red alert till Friday for eight districts – Junagadh, Gir Somnath and Bhavnagar in Saurashtra, and Surat, Navsari, Dang, Tapi and Valsad in South Gujarat, state Revenue Minister Rajendra Trivedi said.

A red alert is issued to warn about very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall.

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, Gujarat received 51% of the rainfall expected in the monsoon season in the past two weeks.

Trivedi added that 39,177 persons have been relocated to safer places, of which 17,394 people have returned home while 21,243 people have taken shelter, News18 reported.

Forty-three deaths have been reported in the state since July 7, he said.

The National Highway 48, which runs from Alipore in Navsari district to Valsad, was closed on Thursday on orders from District Collector Amit Prakash Yadav, The Indian Express reported.

“A flood-like situation is prevailing in three talukas – Navsari, Gandevi and Jalalpore,” Yadav said. “Our teams are engaged in rescue work.”

Many villages are flooded as Kaveri, Purna and Ambika rivers in the Navsari district are overflowing. Juj and Keliya dams in the district are also overflowing due to heavy inflow of rainwater from the catchment areas.

“In all, 27 state highways were closed while the national highway has been closed in Navsari and Kutch districts,” said Trivedi. “At least 559 panchayat routes have also been closed. “Four teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in Navsari for rescue operations where the talukas of Navsari, Chikhli and Vansda are worst hit.”

More than 19,000 evacuated in Telangana

More than 19,000 persons were evacuated to temporary shelters in the northern Telangana districts as the Godavari river flooded several villages, PTI reported.

The body of a 52-year-old man was found in the river near Kotilingala village of Velgatur district, The Times of India reported. The body was sent for post-mortem to ascertain the cause of death.

Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar has asked officials to evacuate people from Mulugu, Bhupalpally and Bhadrachalam districts as the Godavari river has crossed the danger mark at several places, PTI reported.

Seven National Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed for rescue and relief operations. Sixteen persons were rescued at various places in the state. Vehicles have been barred from plying on the bridge across the Godavari river at Bhadrachalam from 5 pm on Thursday.