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Amid heavy rainfall, a man stranded over a large rock in Mahi River in Gujarat’s Vadodara was rescued after 30 hours by a special Indian Air Force helicopter on Tuesday.
The rescued person has been identified as Kirtanbhai Somabhai Garasiya. Soon after being airlifted, Garasiya was shifted to an Air Force hospital in Vadodara for a health check-up.
The dramatic video of the rescue operation amid stormy wind, heavy rain and gushing flood waters beneath the Indian Air Force helicopter is going viral on social media.
Watch the video here:
Heavy rain has thrown life out of gear in many parts of Gujarat which received significant downpour from Monday through Tuesday.
Extremely heavy rainfall warning
The India Meteorological Department has forecast extremely heavy rainfall to continue over parts of Gujarat, including the Saurashtra and Kutch regions, for the next few days under the influence of a deep depression. The deep depression is currently over north Gujarat, and is likely to reach Saurashtra and Kutch by Thursday, the agency said.
The weather bureau has warned against strong winds with a speed of 40-50 kmph over north Gujarat today. These winds can reach a maximum speed of 60 kmph. In south Gujarat, Saurashtra, and Kutch, wind speeds could reach up to 65 kmph for the next three days. Along the coasts of Gujarat, wind speeds are seen gusting to 75 kmph.
The weather office has issued a red alert for heavy rainfall over parts of interior Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kutch till Thursday. A red alert indicates very heavy rainfall of over 204.4 mm in 24 hours. An orange alert is for heavy rainfall of 115.6-204.4 mm.
In the past 24 hours, the state received an average of 94.20 mm of rainfall, with several talukas witnessing significant downpour.
As a result of the substantial rainfall, several major reservoirs across the state are being carefully managed. The Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River currently holds 86.97 per cent of its total capacity, with an inflow of 338,401 cusecs and an outflow of 385,269 cusecs.
Other dams, including Ukai (80.16 per cent full) and Kadana (87.43 per cent full), are also witnessing significant inflows and discharge water to maintain the safety levels.
The heavy rainfall has led to a series of incidents across the state.
Building collapses in Gandhinagar, 2 injured
In Gandhinagar's Kalol area, a building collapse resulting in two fatalities. In Anand, incidents of drowning were reported from Tarapur and Borsad, leading to three deaths.
Additionally, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has been actively engaged in rescue operations, relocating residents from the low-lying areas threatened by flooding.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings to fishermen, advising them against venturing into the sea till August 30, due to predicted rough weather conditions.
Power supply disruptions have been reported from 1,018 villages, where restoration efforts are underway.
A total of 142,35 feeders and 954 transformer centres have been impacted, of which 899 feeders and 238 transformers are pending rectification.
AMC issues advisories
In response to the ongoing heavy rainfall and the forecast for more to come, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has issued advisories to ensure public safety.
The AMC has urged residents, particularly those living in the low-lying areas, to take all necessary precautions. Citizens have been advised to avoid going outdoors unless necessary, as these areas are at a higher risk of flooding.
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The AMC has also cautioned drivers to reduce their speed and be mindful of slippery roads, as the monsoon conditions have made many roads treacherous.
In addition, the AMC has advised residents living in raw or semi-permanent structures to move to safer locations immediately as these types of homes are more susceptible to damage during heavy rainfall.
