Gandhinagar, July 23 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday sought Central assistance for ongoing rescue and relief operations after heavy rainfall affected several parts of the state, particularly South Gujarat, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah assuring the state of all necessary support.
According to the state government, Patel spoke with Shah over the phone to brief him on the rain situation and the relief measures being undertaken.
During the conversation, the Union Home Minister assured the Chief Minister that the Central Government would provide all necessary assistance required for rescue and relief operations.
Earlier in the day, Patel visited the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) in Gandhinagar to review the impact of the heavy rainfall and monitor the response being coordinated across the affected districts.
During the review, the Chief Minister held a telephone conversation with Minister Naresh Patel and the Collector of Valsad district to assess the situation and the progress of rescue and relief operations.
He said additional teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) would be deployed if required to strengthen the ongoing response.
Patel also spoke with the Collectors of Surat and Navsari districts and instructed them to shift residents from low-lying and waterlogged areas to safer locations wherever necessary, with priority given to public safety.
Chief Secretary M. K. Das and senior secretaries attended the review meeting at the State Emergency Operation Centre.
The latest review comes as heavy monsoon rainfall continues to affect South Gujarat, disrupting transport and prompting precautionary measures in several districts.
Earlier on Thursday, the Dang district administration reported that 47 roads under the Panchayat Roads and Buildings Department had been closed to traffic because of heavy rain, although an obstruction on the Waghai–Ahwa road was cleared later in the morning.
In Navsari district, the Juj and Keliya dams overflowed following persistent rainfall in the district and upstream catchment areas.
Authorities warned of increased flows in downstream stretches of the Purna River and advised residents in vulnerable riverside villages and low-lying areas to remain alert and comply with evacuation instructions if issued.
Rescue operations were also carried out in Tapi district, where 11 people were rescued from Dhodiyawad Faliya in Dolvan taluka.
In Surat district, educational authorities declared a holiday for primary, secondary and higher secondary schools, as well as Anganwadi centres, on Thursday as a precaution due to heavy rainfall.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast continued heavy to very heavy rainfall over parts of South and central Gujarat, with authorities maintaining close monitoring of the evolving situation as rescue and relief efforts continue across the affected districts.
–IANS
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