Narmada water level above danger mark in Gujarat's Bharuch; over 2,000 shifted

Bharuch: Around 2000 people have been shifted to relief camps as water from the Narmada River inundated low-lying villages in Gujarat's Bharuch district on Sunday afternoon. Additionally, around 500 cattle have also been shifted to shelters, officials said. 

According to district administration officials, the water level of the Narmada River near the Golden Bridge in Gujarat's Bharuch district reached 37 feet - about 9 ft above the danger mark, at Golden Bridge as of 7:30 pm on Sunday. 

Earlier in the day, the water level near the Golden Bridge was recorded to be at 03:00 pm. "Yesterday it was 5 feet. Today it is 35 feet. So there is a net increase of 30 feet at the Golden Bridge. The result is that there are many areas which are inundated. But we were given timely predictions by Narmada dam authorities and so we have been able to shift two thousand people from last night along with 500 animals," Bharuch District Collector Tushar Sumera said while speaking to ANI on Sunday afternoon. 

"They are being provided with all kinds of facilities along with health facilities. We are still prepared for five feet more rise. There have been no casualties and no rescue," he said. 

Water flow into the Narmada has increased owing to heavy rains in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. Moreover, 18 lakh cusecs of water have been released from the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Narmada district, officials said. 

Owing to excess water flow, Bharuch, Ankleshwar City, and Kantha along with 34 other villages have been affected. Strict police arrangements have been made in all low-lying areas, they added.
The evacuation operation kicked off in Bharuch late at night on Saturday. The main road leading to NH48 through Chhapra Kasia village has been closed. Many areas of Chandod, Bharuch, Dahod and Karnali of Vadodara have been submerged.