Heavy rain claims nine lives in Gujarat, 1,900 people moved to safety

Incessant rains claimed nine lives in Gujarat on Monday (August 24) and flooded major rivers in the state, prompting 1,900 people to move to safety, even as the IMD forecast heavy showers for parts of north India, Bengal and Odisha.

Meanwhile, Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel rescued around 30 people trapped in flood-affected Morbi district on Monday (August 24).

Heavy rains continued to pound Gujarat, especially the Saurashtra region, flooding low-lying areas and disrupting normal life. With many rivers in a spate in the state, over 1,900 people in Ahmedabad, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, and Patan districts were shifted to safer places.

Many dams, including the Aji Dam in Rajkot and Kadi Dam in Mehsana, received a large inflow of water. Many low-lying areas were marooned as gates of overflowing dams were opened. Gujarat received more than 102 per cent of the annual average rainfall till Monday morning.

Of the nine rain-related deaths in the state, two were due to collapse of houses in Junagadh and Tapi districts, while seven drowned in separate incidents in Mehsana, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Tapi, Narmada and Morbi, officials said.

As on Monday morning, the state received 102.73 per cent of the annual average rainfall, with Kutch recording the highest 188.04 per cent so far, according to government data.

The state is very likely to witness an “active wet spell” till Tuesday.