Five people have drowned due to floods even as Indian coast guard were busy with rescue operations as heavy rains lashed south and east central Gujarat causing flood like situation in the past two days. Localities alongside rivers flowing through Valsad, Navsari and Surat districts and killing at least five persons at two places, officials said on Tuesday (Aug 2). Auranga river in Valsad was flowing above danger level, due to incessant rains, flooding three villages situated in low-lying areas along its bank, district disaster management officials said.
Three persons drowned at Bhagrawada village in coastal Valsadin the, while two other drowned in Orsang river near Bodeli in Chhota Udepur district, officials said.
Three bodies have been fished out while operation was on to find other two, they said.
In south Gujarat, Valsad received 245 mm rainfall in 24 hours till this morning, Navsari 96 mm, Dangs 104 mm of rainfall.
Chhota Udepur in east-central Gujarat received 28 mm rainfall.
The state has received 299.27 mm rainfall, or 37.55 per cent of average rainfall.
'At about 1000 hrs on August 2, 2016, Indian Coast Guard Air Station Daman received telephonic information from Valsad Administration regarding 10 persons trapped on a rooftop near Valsad due to high rise of water in Auranga river,' an official statement said.
It said the place was located about 13.5 NM (approximately 25 km) from Coast Guard Air Station, Daman, about 175 Km north of Mumbai.
The Coast Guard found that there were more people stranded and a total of 28 were rescued with assistance of divers and shifted to safe places.
Several low-lying localities in Valsad city including Andhiawad and Kasturba hospital area were also affected, with reports of persons stranded on roof top being relocated to safe areas, they said.
Pardi town in Valsad district was also affected with several persons in Kosamba in coastal Valsad having been rescued by Indian Coastguard helicopter.
'A helicopter of the Indian Coast Guard from Daman along with teams of National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) from Surat were pressed into action along with local police to carry out rescue operations in affected villages, mainly those situated along the coastal areas,' Valsad Collector Mr Remya Mohan said.
Water level at Auranga river was recorded at 11.5 metres, which is about one metre above the danger mark, disaster management officials said.
Damanganga river in Vapi in Valsad district was also flowing near danger level due to water released from Madhuban dam in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, they said.
In Navsari, Ambika river was flowing near the danger level, with nearly a dozen villages affected due to flooding, officials said.
Gandevi in Navsari was particularly affected with several villages cut off due to flooding of connecting bridge over Ambika river.
