Gujarat Rain Update: Heavy rainfall across Gujarat on Sunday led to widespread flooding, particularly in Bharuch, where more than 2,000 people were evacuated from inundated areas along the Narmada river due to the release of water from the Sardar Sarovar dam, officials reported.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state agencies conducted rescue operations in Bharuch, responding to the flood-like situation exacerbated by heavy rains predicted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) until Tuesday. Districts including Panchmahal, Rajkot, Banaskantha, Vadodara, Botad, and Ahmedabad experienced intense showers, disrupting normal life and causing rivers and lakes to overflow.
By afternoon, the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Narmada district received over 10 lakh cusec of water, with approximately 8.4 lakh cusec being released into the Narmada river. This discharge resulted in flooding in low-lying areas downstream in Narmada and Bharuch districts, officials confirmed.
The water level in the dam peaked at 131.58 metres by 1 pm on Sunday, approaching its full reservoir capacity of 138.68 metres, according to state government officials. In Bharuch alone, 2,103 individuals residing along the Narmada riverbanks were relocated to safer locations by district disaster management teams. The towns of Bharuch, Ankleshwar, and Jhagadia were particularly hard-hit, with the river surpassing the danger mark of 24 feet and flooding nearby areas.
Across Narmada district, 34 individuals from low-lying zones were also evacuated as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, major dams in Gujarat, including Shetrunj, Machchhu-II, Brahmani, and Khodiyar, were nearing full capacity, with some already overflowing, prompting additional water releases.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), 11 talukas in Surat, Panchmahal, Rajkot, Banaskantha, Botad, Vadodara, Devbhumi Dwarka, and Junagadh districts recorded rainfall exceeding 100 mm between 6 am and 2 pm on Sunday. Notably, Mangrol in Surat district received 139 mm of rainfall, while Halol in Panchmahal saw 136 mm, and Kotdasangani and Rajkot talukas each received 123 mm.
Overall, Gujarat has received 113.26% of its annual average rainfall so far, with Kutch district experiencing exceptionally heavy precipitation amounting to 241.73% of its annual average, SEOC officials confirmed. The IMD has issued warnings for heavy to very heavy rainfall, including extremely heavy showers at isolated places, across several districts of Gujarat until Tuesday morning.
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