Navsari, July 25 (IANS) Hundreds of people stranded by flooding across Gujarat were rescued on Saturday as multiple teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indian Coast Guard, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and district authorities carried out evacuation and relief operations in Ahmedabad, Navsari, Surat, Valsad and other affected areas amid continued monsoon conditions.
In Navsari district, the NDRF completed rescue and relief operations in flood-affected areas of Gandevi and Amalsad talukas, particularly in Sarikhurd village and adjoining areas.
The operation was undertaken by the 06 Battalion of the NDRF, which had been deployed on the instructions of the state government in coordination with the local administration.
A total of 120 people were rescued from floodwaters, including 45 women, 35 men and 40 children. In addition, 43 residents living in vulnerable locations were shifted to safer shelters.
The rescue mission was declared complete in the evening after assistance had been provided to all affected residents.
The Indian Coast Guard said its ongoing flood relief operations had so far saved 170 lives.
A helicopter was launched from the Indian Coast Guard Air Station at Daman on Saturday morning to assist stranded people, while a Dornier fixed-wing aircraft carried out aerial reconnaissance to provide a comprehensive assessment of the flood situation for ground teams and coordinating authorities.
Disaster Response Teams (DRTs) from the Coast Guard were deployed in Valsad and Navsari districts. Another DRT was sent to the Bavla industrial area in Ahmedabad, where employees of Amazon Pvt. Ltd. were being evacuated in coordination with the SDRF.
A separate team assisted around 50 people stranded at Mackmohan Industries in Bavla. In Ahmedabad district, NDRF teams conducted several rescue operations in Dholka taluka throughout the day.
At Maflipur village, an NDRF team reached the site shortly after receiving information from the civil administration and began rescue operations. Initial updates reported that 11 people, including three men, six women and two children, had been evacuated.
A subsequent update confirmed that the final rescue count at the location had risen to 16 people, comprising six men, seven women, two children and one head of cattle.
Food packets were also distributed to residents in Maflipur before operations concluded at 5 p.m. on the directions of the district administration.
At Bhetawada village, another NDRF team rescued 63 people, including 18 men, 26 women and 19 children, after reaching the flooded area following a request from the civil administration. Rescue efforts there continued during the afternoon.
In the Kalikund area of Dholka, NDRF personnel evacuated nine people, comprising four men and five women, from Rukshmani Society and distributed food packets before concluding the operation at 4:30 p.m.
Separately, the NDRF reported that on Friday it had evacuated 103 people from flood-affected areas of Dholka taluka, including 22 men, 44 women and 37 children.
In another rescue in Dholka, Team 3B of the 3rd Battalion of the NDRF evacuated a pregnant woman, identified as Sangeet, wife of Arun, from Bootbhawani village after she went into labour.
She was safely transported to the Community Health Centre in Dholka for further medical treatment. In Surat, Team 3G of the NDRF rescued 16 people, including 14 men, one woman and one child, during deployment at Kangaru Circle.
Meanwhile, the 06 Battalion of the NDRF also redeployed personnel in response to changing flood conditions.
Acting on instructions from the State Emergency Operations Centre in Gandhinagar, Team 6H moved from Valsad to Banaskantha district for monsoon deployment.
Following directions from the district administration, the team first reported to the Collector’s Office in Palanpur before being moved to Deesa taluka, where it reached the Mamlatdar Office on Saturday afternoon for further deployment.
Flood-related infrastructure repairs also continued in Tapi district. The Panchayat Roads and Buildings Department undertook emergency repairs on the damaged Sonagadh-Goda road near Nani Khervan after heavy monsoon rains.
Officials filled potholes and restored the damaged stretch using metalwork and dumpers, reopening the road to vehicular traffic after the repairs were completed.
–IANS
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