Rains claim 9 more lives in Gujarat, toll rises to 16; PM holds talks with CM | Ahmedabad News

NEW DELHI: In Gujarat, rain-related incidents have claimed 9 more lives, bringing the death toll to 16 over the past two days. Heavy rains have continued to lash parts of the state for a fourth consecutive day, prompting authorities to rescue and relocate around 8,500 people from flood-affected areas.
Relief and rescue operations are currently being carried out by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Army, Indian Air Force, and Indian Coast Guard.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured chief minister Bhupendra Patel of the Centre’s full support in the ongoing crisis.
A state official release confirmed that on Monday, seven individuals lost their lives in similar incidents. Specifically, three individuals died from a wall collapse in Anand district on Tuesday.
Additionally, Mahisagar district reported two deaths, while Kheda, Ahmedabad, Junagadh, and Bharuch districts each reported one fatality due to similar reasons.
Authorities have managed to rescue 169 people, primarily from Kheda and Morbi districts, on Tuesday. Furthermore, an additional 8,460 individuals were evacuated to safer locations. This included around 3,000 from Navsari, and about 1,000 each from Vadodara and Kheda districts.
Over the past two days, more than 15,000 people have been relocated due to the heavy rains.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel acknowledged the Prime Minister’s involvement in monitoring the situation through a post on X. “Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modiji had a telephonic conversation with me about the heavy rain situation in Gujarat and got details of the relief and rescue operations,” he stated.
He further mentioned that PM Modi provided guidance on protecting lives and livestock, and assured all necessary support from the central government.
“Hon’ble Prime Minister is constantly monitoring the situation by showing concern about Gujarat. He has a deep affection in his heart for the people of Gujarat. During natural calamities and whenever needed, he always stands by Gujarat and the people of the state, providing warmth and invaluable guidance,” Patel added.
Several districts in the Saurashtra region—particularly Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Porbandar, and Rajkot—experienced very heavy rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 6 am on Wednesday.
Data from the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) revealed that Khambhalia taluka in Devbhumi Dwarka received 454 mm of rainfall, Jamnagar city received 387 mm, and Jamjodhpur taluka in Jamnagar received 329 mm.
Across the state, 13 out of 251 talukas received over 200 mm of rainfall, and another 39 received over 100 mm during this period, disrupting daily life and flooding low-lying areas.
Rain slowed in Vadodara, but flooding from the Vishwamitri river caused several low-lying areas in the city to be inundated.
Relief and rescue operations involving the NDRF, SDRF, and other agencies are ongoing. Five army columns have been deployed in Morbi, Anand, Devbhumi Dwarka, Rajkot, and Vadodara to support the relief efforts.
An official release indicated that 137 reservoirs and lakes, along with 24 rivers in the state, are currently above danger marks, leading to further flooding in low-lying regions.
The heavy rains have also disrupted transportation, affecting both road traffic and train services. As of now, eight trains, including the Mumbai-bound Vande Bharat Express, have been canceled, and another 10 trains have been partially canceled, according to an update from Western Railway.
Gujarat has received 105 percent of its average annual rainfall thus far, although Banaskantha district remains the most rain-deficient region, having received only 73 percent of its average annual rainfall, the SEOC noted.