22 killed as Heavy rains lash Gujarat

Ahmedabad:  Incessant rains caused by a deep depression lashed northern and Kutch regions of Gujarat, causing death of 22 persons in various rain-related incidents and throwing life out gear, officials said in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were pressed into service in the worst affected Banaskantha and Kutch districts, while rail as well as road traffic were hit due to rains. Power supply was disrupted in several areas.

Central Gujarat and Saurashtra region also received good rains in the past two days.

Ahmedabad district reported maximum casualties as six persons died since Monday, while Banaskantha district registered four deaths on Tueday, the officials said. While, three rain related casualties were reported each from Patan, Rajkot and Kutch districts, one casualty each was registered from Sabarkantha, Surat and Navasari districts, officials at the state control room for rains said.

According to Ahmedabad collector Rajkumar Beniwal, three people died in Detroj town in the district after a house collapsed late on Monday night due to heavy rains. A middle-aged man also died due to electrocution near Raipur area of the city today, co-ordinating officer of the 108 Emergency Service Jitendra Sahi said.

A 85-year-old man, identified as Parimal Panjwani, was killed in a house collapse incident at Old Vadaj area here, Mr Sahi said.

According to a release issued by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, a man identified as Ranjit, 30, was killed near Kotarpur area after a tree fell on a rickshaw in which he was travelling.

"As many as three persons drowned due to heavy flow of rain water and one died in house collapse incident in Banaskantha district," said state control room officer K V Chauhan.

Chief Minister Anandiben Patel held a meeting with various department secretaries to review the situation in Kutch, Banaskantha and Patan districts and took stock of relief operations



across the state, according to a government release.

Mrs. Patel directed the administration to give facilities like health care, water and sanitation to the affected people on priority basis. She also directed to restore electricity supply in around 2,929 villages, it said.

According to the state government release, 187 talukas recorded notable rainfall since yesterday. In Banaskantha district of North Gujarat, Lakhani received 530 mm rainfall, Suigam 480 mm, Dhanera 435 mm, Vav 416 mm, and Bhabhar 350 mm.

Two other districts -- Patan and Kutch -- also reported heavy downpour since yesterday, it said. Bhachau (301 mm), Anjar (234 mm) and Rapar (233 mm) of Kutch received good rain fall today, it said.

In Patan district in North Gujarat, Patan taluka registered 206 mm and Sarasvati taluka recorded 206 mm rain fall today, said the release. Ahmedabad city recieved 138.45 mm of rainfall.

Chief Minister Mrs. Patel said that four teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and two teams of State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) had been deployed at the worst affected Banaskantha district.

While, two teams of Border Security Force (BSF) and one team of NDRF was deployed in Kutch region for rescue and relief operations.

Mrs. Patel asked the district collectors today to provide a compensation of Rs. 4 lakh in case of death to the affected families, it said.

Road traffic was disrupted in Banaskantha in north Gujarat and some other places connecting the state to Rajasthan, the officials said.

Rail traffic was also affected with the heavy rainfall in the state; as many as 11 trains were cancelled today, said Railway PRO of Ahmedabad division.

Ahmedabad centre of the Meteorological department said today that heavy rains would continue to lash Gujarat for the next 24 hours. "Heavy rains caused by deep depression will continue for the next 24 hours in the state," Ahmedabad Meteorological Centre director Jayanta Sarkar said.