Life thrown out of gear in Guj, rescue operations on

Gandhinagar, Sep 18 (UNI) With the rains throwing life out of gear in Gujarat and the flood waters entering Lakhtar town in Surendranagar district, the Army personnel are undertaking relief and rescue operations on a war-footing.

Many of the dams, including the Shatrunji dam in Bhavnagar district, are overflowing and at least 3000 people have been shifted to safer places.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi last night reviewed the situation arising out of a heavy downpour in Surendranagar and other areas. He directed education minister Ramanlal Vora to rush to rain-battered Surendranagar and supervise relief and rescue operations there.

Saurasthra received heavy rainfall in last two days, during the third spell of rains that started a week ago in Gujarat.

Lakhtar town in Surendranagar district received 35 inches of rains in the last 48 hours, marooning hundreds of people and cutting off connection of the town from the rest of the district.

Helicopters have been pressed into service for the rescue operations and around 30,000 persons are surviving on the food packets.

Roads leading to Kutch from Ahmedabad have been closed due to the downpour.

Many trains and buses plying in and out of the state have been cancelled.

Meanwhile, twenty villages of Dhandhuka in Ahmedabad districts have also been severely affected by the rain fury and four villages in Chotila have been evacuated.

The met department have issued heavy to very heavy rainfall warning all over the state, Diu, Daman and Dadra Nagar Haveli during the next 36 hours.

UNI HT SR AE BD1735