17 of 35 stranded in flood ravaged Patan District rescued

Palanpur (Gujarat): Seventeen of the 35 people marooned in the flood-hit areas of Gujarat's Patan District have been rescued.

Television reports said that in the past 24 hours, three vehicles-two vans and a mini luxury bus - had been stuck in floodwaters near Jahurpura in Patan District.

The 35 commuters, mostly Jain devotees, were on their way to Sankheshwar to pay obeisance at a religious spot when a vast area of over two kilometers was inundated by floodwaters.

The District Collector of Mehsana and Patan, Ajay Bhadu, was quoted as saying: "We had asked for services of a helicopter. However, the chopper had to be rushed for relief operation in Jamnagar so we had to rely on a relief operations team."

A rescue team of the National Disaster Relief Fund from Gandhinagar carried out the operation with the help of OBM, boats, multi-winch cable and other flood rescue equipment, the state relief commissioner's office said.

Later, the same team rescued seven persons trapped in the Rupen River in Surendrangar District as well.

Meanwhile, north Gujarat continues to receive moderate to heavy to rainfall. (ANI)