Over 38,000 evacuated in Gujarat as heavy rains trigger massive rescue operations

Heavy monsoon rains in Gujarat have forced the evacuation of over 38,600 people, with more than 5,500 rescued. Armed forces, Coast Guard, NDRF, and SDRF teams remain actively deployed across severely affected districts including Navsari, Valsad, and Banaskantha

Gandhinagar:More than 38,600 people have been moved to safer locations and over 5,500 stranded residents rescued as Gujarat continues large-scale relief and rescue operations in response to widespread heavy rainfall, with emergency teams, the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Coast Guard deployed across the state’s worst-affected districts.

According to the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) in Gandhinagar, 38,653 people have been evacuated to safer places during the monsoon season so far, while 5,547 people have been successfully rescued from flood-affected areas.

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The state government has deployed 49 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) across Gujarat to respond to emergencies.

In addition, six Indian Army teams have been stationed in Ahmedabad, Navsari and Valsad, with two teams deployed in each district.

The Indian Air Force is carrying out rescue operations in Vadodara, while the Indian Coast Guard is conducting aerial surveys over flood-affected areas in Navsari, Valsad and Tapi districts.

Coast Guard teams are also continuing rescue operations in the flood-hit areas of Bilimora and Gandevi, where people stranded by rising waters are being shifted to safer locations.

Heavy rainfall continued to affect parts of north and central Gujarat. The SEOC reported that more than three inches of rain fell in Deodar taluka of Banaskantha district during the previous two hours.

More than two inches of rainfall was also recorded in Bhabhar in Banaskantha district, Dhansura in Aravalli district, Lilia in Amreli district and Santalpur in Patan district.

Rescue operations continued in several districts on Friday. An SDRF team carried out a rescue operation at Pandor village in Nanapondha taluka of Valsad district. Another SDRF operation was launched at Dharampuri in Vansda taluka of Navsari district.

In Ahmedabad district, three people trapped in rainwater late on Thursday night at Chaloda village in Dholka taluka were rescued by the local administration with the assistance of the SDRF.

In a separate incident, 20 passengers stranded in a bus between Sarbhat and Badarkha villages in Ahmedabad district were evacuated to safety using a tractor.

The Indian Coast Guard also launched a rescue operation at Meghar village in Gandevi taluka of Navsari district, where teams worked to move affected residents to safer places.

Meanwhile, Director General of Police (DGP) Gyanendra Singh Malik is scheduled to visit the State Emergency Operations Centre in Gandhinagar today to review the situation in districts affected by heavy rainfall and assess the ongoing relief and rescue operations.

Authorities said rescue and relief efforts remain underway as emergency agencies continue to monitor the evolving weather situation and respond to incidents across the state.