Gujarat floods: PM announces Rs 500-crore aid, Ahmedabad airport runway damaged

Ahmedabad, July 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced Rs 500 crore for Gujarat for rescue work after an aerial survey of the flooded areas and Rs 2 lakh compensation to the kin of the 83 people who have died and Rs 50,000 to the injured.

Modi, who flew over Banaskantha, Sabarkantha and Patan districts of North Gujarat, said a team of the union Urban Development and Rural Development Ministries would visit the state to assess the extent of damage and suggest short-term as well as long-term measures.

Modi told reporters at the Ahmedabad airport: "In such situations, it is the farmers who suffer the most. Insurance companies may be advised to quickly organise assessment of damage to crops and assets of farmers and initiate immediate steps to settle the claims."

Modi was accompanied by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel during the aerial survey.

Ahmedabad airport runway damaged

Due to the torrential rains which have caused major floods in Gujarat, the runway of the Ahmedabad airport has been damaged, resulting in two Air India flights being diverted on Wednesday.

Delhi-Ahmedabad and Bombay-Ahmedabad have been diverted to Mumabi following the runway not functioning.

23 dams full

The north Gujarat districts of Banaskantha, Sabarkantha and Patan have been flooded after incessant rains during the last 36 hours. Twenty-three dams in Saurashtra, four in Kutch, four in central Gujarat and one dam in south Gujarat were full to the brim.

Tharad town has received maximum rainfall of 24 inches, followed by Dhanera 20 inches, Dantiwada 18, Palanpur 15, Deesa and Diyodar 13 inches each, Patan 12 inches and Vadgam about 11 inches.

The region has got 95 percent of its seasonal average of 659 mm. In all, entire Gujarat has registered 534 mm of rain, which is 66 percent of its total usual seasonal average of 810 mm. As must as 1.10 lakh cusecs of water has been released from the dam.

The Army and Air Force reached the flood-hit Deesa of Banaskantha district for rescue operations. The Army, IAF, NDRF and local teams have intensified rescue and relief operations as several parts of the two districts were inundated with flood water.

OneIndia News