School children, farm workers stranded in rain-hit Guj

Ahmedabad, July 31: Even as the monsoon fury eased a bit in Central Gujarat since last night, water-logging in low-lying areas has left many people stranded at several places in Anand and Kheda districts.

At least 70 school children and a few teachers have been stranded in a boarding house in Khambhat in Anand district. Operations are on to rescue them in boats, officials said.

In another instance, about 62 agricultural workers who were working on the fields in Ganor village near Dholka have been trapped in heavy water-logging. A fire brigade team has been rushed from Ahmedabad to rescue them, Additional Chief Fire Officer M F Dastur said.

As the rains have ceased in intensity since last night, rail and road traffic is limping back to normalcy. Few trains from Mumbai are running behind schedule and there are no cancellations, a railway spokesman said.

More than 50,000 people from South and Central Gujarat have been shifted to safer places as a precautionary measure, officials said.

Meanwhile, at least 19 people have died in rain-related incidents in the past three days.

UNI