Army comes to rescue of flood-hit Surendranagar in Gujarat

Army was called in for rescue in Gujarat’s flood hit Surendranagar district after heavy rain in district continued to make situation grim.

58 Army men with 3 officers, four boats and team of doctors were on the way to help the people trapped in flood hit Lakhtar taluka.

50 salt workers were trapped in Chamunda patch of Little Rann of Kutch area. As salt season was about to start, these salt workers had moved to Rann of Kutch recently along with their families including children. But sudden heavy rain turned dry Rann into ocean like surface. A rescue team was sent from Patadi.

State government sent two of it’s ministers; Ramanlal Vora and Kiritsinh Rana to monitor and assist rescue and relief operations in Surendranagar.

District collector sought helicopter to rescue 38 people at different places. Fire Brigade teams from Ahmedabad and Rajkot were already in the flood hit areas for rescue. 35,000 food packets were reportedly dispatched to flood hit areas by government machinery.More than 4000 people from Varsani,Malika,Zamar and Kadu villages in Surendranagar district were evacuated and shifted to safer places, public schools and Public health centres.

Part of Lakhtar’s iconic old fort faced heavy damage due to flood. In Devaliya village 15 houses were badly damaged while 8 buffaloes were drowned. Breaches in water bodies of Vavadi and Khabhada villages resulted in added difficulties to nearby Samala village. Breach in Tavi village’s canal also created havoc in nearby areas.

At least 62 villages were out of reach. Exams in schools were postponed. District headquarter Surendranagar’s 80 ft road, Ratanpur junction areas faced severe water logging.

Viramgam-Surendranagar, Patadi-Surendranagar and Viramgam-Dhangadhra highways were blocked by breakdowns, damages and heavily flowing flood water.

Due to heavy damages in rail tracks, rail traffic between Ahmedabad-Rajkot and Rajkot-Porbandar was completely on halt.

Dholidhaja dam which is the main source of drinking water for Surendranagar was just 30% full of it’s capacity until last week. This dam and other 11 important dams of Zalavad area are now overflowing after recent spell of rain. Though recent rain has created temporarily a flood like situation, considering long term impact it has ended worries about possible water scarcity and drought like situation in coming days.