Low pressure weighs heavily on Gujarat

RAJKOT: Flood-like situation prevailed in coastal districts of Saurashtra as the incessant rainfall that began on Sunday left normal life paralysed.
Several areas and villages in Amreli, Junagadh, Gir-Somnath, Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka and Porbandar districts were in waist-high water and a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was deputed in Porbandar.
A causeway over Sabli river connecting villages of Keshod taluka in Junagadh district caved in due to continuous downpour, leaving four villages stranded. This causeway in Bamnasa village was used for internal travel by residents of these villages. Bamnasa sarpanch Hakka Nandaniya said, “I have been representing the district panchayat for the last two years about the poor condition of this causeway, but in vain. The result is here to see today.” Junagadh district development officer Praveen Chaudhary said the bridge was constructed in 1991 and was used only by locals. “The bridge was already old and heavy vehicles were prohibited from plying on it. A warning sign was also placed near it as it was already damaged. Nobody was injured after it caved in,” he said.
In Porbandar, rain water gushed inside the houses in low lying areas while a state transport bus was trapped in heavily waterlogged Ranavav road. However, all the passengers were rescued. As Fodala dam in Porbandar started overflowing, the district administration issued a warning to the people in villages of Ranavav taluka not to venture out of the low-lying areas, Eight gates of Khirsara dam in the district were also opened.
In Gir-Somnath district’s Una taluka, a causeway on Machundri river between Delvada and Saiyadrajpar was closed for traffic due to flooding. As a result, movement to 20 villages was disrupted for several hours. A state highway running through Gir forest connecting Una and Dhari was closed as Hiran river was in spate due to incessant rainfall. The famous Prachi temple of Madhavrai in was completely inundated due to floods.
In Amreli, alert was sounded in 15 villages of Rajula taluka as Dhatarvadi dam started overflowing.Six persons travelling in a car got trapped in the turbulent waters of a causeway in Kalyanpur taluka of Devbhoomi Dwarka district, but all were rescued.
Two persons going on a bike drowned in Narmada sub-canal of Botad district. . The deceased were identified as Harshad Chavda(32) and Prakash Parmar (33).