Fresh floods in Gujarat, displace thousands

Fresh floods in several parts of Gujarat have displaced thousands of people and inundated several towns and cities.

Veraval (Gujarat), Aug 9 : Fresh floods in several parts of Gujarat have displaced thousands of people and inundated several towns and cities.

Incessant rains spread havoc in Saurashtra region, submerging several districts, destroying homes and leaving people with little or no access to food and healthcare.

"In the last three days, we have been able to see only water in Veraval city. Flood waters have entered houses and lot of the stuff has been washed away by the floods," Yogesh Jain, a resident said.

Several places were inaccessible as road and rail communications had been snapped.

Residents have set up voluntary rescue teams to help people stuck in marooned residential areas.

"We have been engaged in relief work since yesterday morning. We have formed over hundred teams for this. We have saved around 80 to 90 people till now," said Jeetubhai Mohanbhai, voluntary rescue worker.

The coastal districts of Veraval, Jamnagar and Rajkot are worst affected in the state, where over 16,000 people were shifted to safer places.

The army and air force have been pressed into service in Veraval and Junagah districts.

State's Revenue Minister Kaushik Patel has already said the government has alerted districts officials as more rain is forecast.

Two hundred and ninety people have lost their lives in floods in Gujarat, while several people are reported missing.

According to officials, three people were killed in heavy rains on Wednesday.

The latest bout of monsoon flooding, which began about three weeks ago, is said to be the worst in living memory in parts of Bihar. It has affected about 30 million people across India, 10 million of them in Bihar alone.Besides several thousands marooned, at least 487 people have drowned, died from snakebites, hunger or water-borne diseases. Many have even been crushed to death or electrocuted in the devastating monsoon floods.

Many have even been crushed to death or electrocuted in the devastating monsoon floods.

ANI