Gujarat: Red alert issued for several districts
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy rainfall in south Gujarat and Saurashtra-Kutch districts till Sunday morning. A red alert has been issued for Junagadh, Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka, Kutch, Surat, Valsad, Navsari and Surat.
Heavy to very heavy rain pounded several Gujarat districts and Saurashtra regions on Saturday, triggering a flood-like situation in urban areas and isolating villages amid rising water levels in dams and rivers surging to danger levels. Several roads and bridges were submerged or damaged, disrupting traffic and communication. Many people were evacuated from low-lying areas or rescued by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other agencies.
Some of the worst-affected districts were Junagadh, Amreli, Gir Somnath, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Bhavnagar and Botad in Saurashtra region, and Navsari, Valsad, Surat and Bharuch in south Gujarat region. In Junagadh city, water entered many residential colonies and commercial areas after a breach in a canal. The city recorded 214 mm rainfall in 24 hours till Saturday morning.
In Navsari district, there was a traffic jam of five-seven km on the national highway due to waterlogging. Later, the traffic was opened towards Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Heavy traffic jam was also seen on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad national highway-48 in Navsari due to heavy rainfall in the area.
According to the IMD, light/moderate fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to continue over Saurashtra and Kutch on July 24, Gujarat region on July 23.
Maharashtra: Mumbai gets some respite from showers
After witnessing incessant rainfall on Saturday, Mumbai is likely to get some respite from the heavy showers as the IMD has downgraded the Maharashtra capital's 'orange' alert to 'yellow' alert for Sunday. Thane and Palghar were downgraded from a 'red' alert to an 'orange' alert, while Raigad district will remain under the 'orange' alert.
On Saturday, Mumbai recorded 64.45 mm rainfall in 24 hours till 8.30 am. The city's eastern suburbs received 120.96 mm rainfall while the western suburbs recorded 137.13 mm rainfall during the same period. The heavy downpour caused waterlogging in several low-lying areas such as Hindmata, King's Circle, Sion and Kurla. Local train services were also affected due to waterlogging on tracks.
With Mumbai experiencing relentless heavy rainfall this week, the health department of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued an advisory for leptospirosis due to the rise in cases this season. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that can be contracted by exposure to contaminated water or soil. The symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, jaundice and kidney failure. The BMC has advised people to avoid walking through flooded areas or stagnant water, and to seek medical attention if they develop any signs of infection.
The Thane district administration in Maharashtra sounded a flood alert for villages in Bhiwandi, Shahapur and Vasai talukas after the water levels in Tansa Dam reached close to the overflow levels on Saturday. The dam authorities released 1.5 lakh cusecs of water into Vaitarna river which flows through these talukas. The district collector has asked people living near the river banks to move to safer places or relief camps set up by the administration.
The death toll in the landslide at Irshalwadi hamlet in Maharashtra's Raigad district mounted to 27 on Saturday, the third day of the search and rescue operation. The landslide occurred on Thursday following heavy rain in Mahad tehsil of the district. The NDRF, the SDRF and the local administration are still looking for 81 persons who are yet to be traced. The Raigad administration imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in Irshalwadi, where 27 people have died in a landslide. The prohibitory orders will be effective from July 23 till August 6, it stated.
Conclusion
The monsoon season has brought havoc and misery to many parts of India, especially in Gujarat and Maharashtra. The authorities and the people are trying their best to cope with the challenges posed by the heavy rainfall and floods. We hope that the situation improves soon and the affected people get relief and assistance. We also urge everyone to follow the IMD alerts and the safety guidelines issued by the respective administrations.
Source:
(1) IMD issues red alert in Gujarat's Junagadh; downpour batters Mumbai, Bhiwandi. https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2023/07/23/imd-issues-red-alert-in-gujarats-junagadh-downpour-batters-mumbai-bhiwandi.html.
(2) 'Red' alert in Gujarat's Junagadh after heavy rain; Mumbai showers to .... https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mumbai-rain-updates-gujarat-junagadh-rain-flood-heavy-rain-raigad-landslide-maharashtra-downpour-traffic-advisory-mumbai-101690071235307.html.
(3) 'Red' alert in Gujarat's Junagadh after heavy rain; Mumbai showers to .... https://www.tbsnews.net/world/south-asia/red-alert-gujarats-junagadh-after-heavy-rain-mumbai-showers-continue-669818.
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