Army deployed in flood-hit Gujarat for rescue operations

The Indian Army joined rescue operations in the flood-affected areas of Gujarat on Tuesday, even as heavy rains continued to lash the state.

Bhuval/Himmatnagar/Jammu, July 10 : The Indian Army joined rescue operations in the flood-affected areas of Gujarat on Tuesday, even as heavy rains continued to lash the state.

Several dams in the state were overflowing and 20,000 people were being moved to higher ground as a precautionary measure, officials said.

"Army has been deployed in four places where they are carrying on the relief work. But I have been to many villages except for this village people are not stuck anywhere. Rescue work is required only in this village, that is Bhuval, and the army is working on it," Anandiben Patel, Education Minister of Gujarat told reporters in Bhuval, while reviewing help to the affected.

The state has sounded a flood-alert in dozens of villages in Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Bharuch as several major rivers in the state are in spate due to heavy rainfall.

More than 100 villages in Gujarat have been placed on high alert while evacuation of people from low-lying areas has begun. Narmada, Mahi and Sabarmati Rivers in the state are in spate, or are threatening to inundate its embankments.

"We have saved around 60-70 people. All were women and children," said S. K. Shukla, an Army Officer.

Railway tracks in Himmatnagar area of Sabarkantha district of Gujarat were drowned in floodwaters.

Eleven people drowned in floods and two others were killed when a house collapsed as rains poured down for the second day after a brief lull.

In Jammu, heavy rains on Monday caused severe damage to houses. The Red Cross distributed ration and clothes to the people who lost their belongings in heavy rains.

"Today, we have come here to distribute ration and clothes to the people who have lost their belongings in the yesterday's heavy rains. We are going to distribute clothes and ration to other rains affected areas from Red Cross side," said Dinesh Gupta, Secretary, District Red Cross.

At least 187 people have died and seven million have been affected by floods caused by the monsoon rains across eastern, western and southern parts of the country.

ANI