Vadodara: Vishwamitri river which passes through the city of Vadodara has crossed the danger level of 26 ft today afternoon at around 4 pm Kala Ghoda bridge. The rise in the level of water had been very fast in last 24 hours. The river had crossed danger level a month ago as well. At this speed the river level may go up to actual impacting level of 29 ft in next few hours. Post 30 ft level, the river actually impacts the routine life of city due to wide spread flooding. As the river crossed the danger mark, lot of people started parking their vehicles on the over bridge to save them from damages related to potential waterlogging.

Compared to last month, the situation this time is more alerting because the level at Ajwa dam has also crossed 214 ft danger mark. After 214 level at Ajwa, entire surplus volume of water is released to downstream in river Vishwamitri towards Vadodara. It’s not possible to stop of control the outflow at Ajwa after 214 ft mark is crossed. The catchment area of Ajwa and Pratap Sarovar reservoirs have received heavy to very heavy rains in last 24 hours. The rainfall is continuing and there’s forecast of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall.

On the other hand Vadodara city has also witnessed significant rainfall in the morning itself. River Vishwamitri merges into river Dhadhar after the city of Vadodara. River Dhadhar itself is also carrying huge water from catchment areas of Central Gujarat. It creates a situation in which Vishwamitry’s offloading to sea through Dhadhar doesn’t happen speedily and smoothly.

Evacuation from low lying area, huge waterlogging, closure of Kalaghoda bridge and Mangal Pandey bridge – these much of event happen once the level of Vishwamitri river in Vadodara city crosses 28 ft level. At some 34 ft level which was witnessed previously a few years ago, many areas of Vadodara would be flooded.

For these reasons, the citizens of Vadodara are continuously keeping eye over the rising level of Ajwa and Vishwamitri and also the volume of rainfall. DeshGujarat