Six die in rain-related incidents, 9,000 people evacuated

Ahmedabad, July 29 (UNI) A total of 9,000 people were today evacuated to safer places from low-lying areas of Navsari and Bharuch districts of South Gujarat as monsoon fury continued to hit the state since last evening, caliming six lives in rain-related incidents.

In Navsari, about 6,500 people have been shifted to government schools and are being provided with food packets, administration officials said.

In Bharuch, district Collector Murlikrishnan said 2,500 have been evacuated to safer places.

Of the six dead, four were teenagers. While one of them was electrocuted in his hostel in Vidyanagar, another died in the same manner in Modasa village of North Gujarat. Also in Modasa, another two teenaged boys drowned to death.

Two deaths including that of a woman, were reported when a three-storeyed building collapsed in old Bazar area of Bharuch.

Three persons were injured in the incident. Another incident of house collapse was reported near M G road in Vadodara city.

Few rivers were flowing either close to or above the danger mark.

Rail and road traffic have been affected due to water logging.

While several trains were running behind schedule, a number of buses plying to rural areas were cancelled. Traffic jams on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad were also reported.

Poorna river was flowing well above the danger mark and evacuation of families was ordered by the authorities, officials said. The Shedi river in Dakor was flowing close to the red mark, met department said.

Fishermen in Valsad district have been warned against venturing into sea.

Sankroli dam in Surendranagar district almost reached its full capacity while five other dams of Rajkot, Surendranagar and Jamnagar districts have received fresh waters of six inch to two feet following heavy rainfall in their catchments area, the irrigation flood control room said.

Following heavy downpour in Una in Junagadh district, the residents of a housing society near Jalramnagar area were trapped as water entered the celler and first floor. Nearly 65 people were shifted to safer places, a report from Junagadh said.

Valsad, Navsari, Surat in South Gujarat and Rajkot, Amreli in Saurashtra and the Central Gujarat district of Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Anand and Kheda have received heavy to moderate rainfall since yesterday.

Bhavnagar, Porbandar, Amreli and Rajkot districts received rainfall ranging from 15 mm to 90mm, reports reaching here said.

While Dabhoi (200 mm) and Chhota Udepur (180 mm) were the most affected places in Vadodara.

The Kheda district too was lashed by heavy rains last evening.

Nadiad town too was facing water-logging in most of its parts. The district had received 1,693 mm rains since last night.

The meteorological department had yesterday issued a warning of heavy rains for the next 48-hours.

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