NDRF rescues 67 people from floodwaters in Gujarat's Navsari; operation underway
Navsari, July 24
The National Disaster Response Force has rescued 67 people, including 25 women and 22 children, from floodwaters in Sarikhurad village of Gujarat's Navsari district.
According to the NDRF, the rescue operation was launched by the 6th Battalion after receiving information from the civil administration about villagers stranded due to flooding.
The NDRF said rescue operations are currently underway.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi are continuously monitoring the flood situation. Sanghavi rushed to Navsari to assess the ground situation and directed officials to ensure there is no shortfall in rescue, relief, evacuation, and public safety measures.
To strengthen relief efforts and ensure timely rescue and assistance to affected citizens, the State Government has also deployed 10 senior officers to Valsad district with immediate effect.
Rescue operations in the flood-affected areas of Valsad district are underway with intensified efforts. To support the local administration, 70 Army personnel with five boats, five NDRF teams, five SDRF teams, and 25 Fire Brigade personnel have been deployed. More than 500 residents from the rural areas of Umargam, Vapi, Dharampur, and Pardi talukas have been shifted to safer locations.
State Finance Minister and Navsari District In-charge Minister Kanubhai Desai visited the Disaster Control Room to review the situation following the heavy rainfall. District Collector Manish Gurwani informed him that the district had received an average of 4.5 inches of rainfall up to 2:00 p.m. The Juj and Keliya dams have overflowed, around 250 roads have been closed, and nearly 3,000 citizens have been shifted to safe shelters. The Minister directed officials to ensure adequate healthcare, sanitation, and effective coordination among all departments at the relief shelters.
In Tapi district, the SDRF rescued 11 villagers stranded after floodwaters inundated Dhodiyawad Faliya in Dolvan taluka following extremely heavy rainfall. In Surat city, emergency services have been carrying out round-the-clock rescue and relief operations. More than 50 residents were rescued from Geeta Nagar in Limbayat, the Shitala Mata Mandir area in Varachha, and Krishna Nagar in Udhna. Overall, 2,244 affected residents from Surat city and 2,603 people from the district's rural areas have been rescued and shifted to relief centres and other safe locations.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Hats off to the rescue teams - NDRF, SDRF, Army, and firefighters all working together. CM Patel and Deputy CM Sanghavi monitoring personally shows concern. But shifting 3,000 people to shelters is no joke; hope authorities are providing enough food, water, and medical aid there.
I live in Surat and saw the floods near Udhna. The situation was scary, but rescue teams were quick. Still, why are we always caught off-guard? Dams overflowing and 250 roads closed - this is predictable every year. Need long-term solutions, not just reactive rescues.
So relieved to hear 67 people rescued in Navsari and over 4,800 across Surat! The Juj and Keliya dams overflowing is worrying though. Kudos to the local administration for deploying 10 senior officers to Valsad. Let's hope no more lives are lost. 🙏
Good work by NDRF but I can't help asking - why are we still using boats and manual rescues in 2024? Where's the investment in early warning systems, flood-proof infrastructure, and better land-use planning? Every year same story in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar...
Watching from Mumbai, praying for Gujarat! Minister Kanubhai Desai visiting the control room is good leadership. But 4.5 inches rain in a day is crazy - climate change is real. Hope relief camps have proper sanitation for women and children. Stay safe everyone! 🌊
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