Gujarat floods: Several animals, birds rescued from Navsari district

Gandhinagar: Several animals and birds were rescued on Friday after a flood-like situation arose in Navsari due to extremely heavy rainfall in the district.

Rescue teams also provided food to the animals stranded in the flood-affected areas.

At least 811 people have been rescued in the Navsari district of Gujarat in a single day, P. Swaroop, Relief Commissioner informed on Friday.

Navsari has been badly hit due to the torrential rains and increasing water levels in the Purna river. The water level in the Purna river has gone up due to the dams overflowing in Maharashtra.

"The district administration team worked from the previous night to 5:30 am today and rescued all the people who were stuck," an official statement from Chief Minister's Office said.

A total of 811 people have been rescued in one day in Navsari as per the details provided by the collector of Navsari during the video conference presided by Chief Minister Bhupender Patel to take stock of the prevailing situation in the state.

He also instructed all the district collectors and administrations to work hard as the water has now reduced significantly and also told them to do a survey of the destruction caused due to the natural calamity in the state.
Patel also told them to provide necessary financial assistance to the people who suffered losses.

The CM further added, "now as the water has subsided, the work to stop the epidemic from spreading anymore should be done effectively and the destroyed roads across the state must be repaired so that the citizens do not face any difficulties."Meanwhile, the Meteorological department has issued a Red alert in two districts of Gujarat-- Dang and Valsad.

Valsad has already been reeling under flood waters for the past few days.
The situation in the state appeared improving, as earlier on Thursday, Disaster Management Minister Rajendra Trivedi had informed about the red alert in eight districts.

"Red alerts for heavy rainfall announced in eight districts including Surat, Junagadh, Gir, Bhavnagar, Tapi, Dang, Valsad and Navsari," Trivedi had said (on Thursday) while also mentioning that the water level in the Purna river was increasing due to the overflowing dams in Maharashtra."National highway towards Mumbai and at two places in Dang and Kutch national highways have been closed. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team is working well to rescue people who are stuck in Navsari and Valsad district," he added.

A massive amount of water was released from the Madhuban Dam on the Daman Ganga river in the Valsad district as the region continues to remain battered by heavy rainfall.

During his visit to the state control room on Thursday night, the CM took detailed information on moving people to safer places, opening up roads and highways, and regarding the work being done by the NDRF, stated the state government.

While the locals of Golvad and Fadvel village near Kaveri river in Navsari District were trapped due to flash floods on the banks of river Kaveri, several parts of Ahmedabad faced waterlogging as rainfall continued to lash the city.
There was waterlogging in Vejalpur and Shrinand Nagar in Ahemdabad.

Amid the flood situation in Gujarat following heavy rainfall, state BJP President CR Paatil on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are constantly monitoring the situation in the rain-battered state.

Paatil tweeted on Thursday, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are constantly monitoring the condition in Gujarat. And added that on the request Amit Shah has arranged for two Air Force Shoppers and NDRF team which will start the rescue operations in the state from tomorrow (Friday) morning."

PM Modi is constantly keeping an eye on the situation in Gujarat after excessive rainfall and also gave telephonic instructions for tackling the situation, Paatil added.

Heavy rains in several areas of Gujarat since the last few days have brought life to a standstill.
While residents of low-lying areas have been shifted to safer places, those stranded at home due to waterlogging have been provided with relief material. (ANI)