Incessant rains lashed parts of Gujarat's Navsari district on Wednesday, leading to waterlogging and flooding in numerous areas. The heavy rainfall has also led the Poorna, Ambika, and Kaveri rivers exceeding the danger level.
Nearly 40,000 people are affected in adjoining areas and over 2500 people have been shifted to safe relief camps.
The India Metrological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert in five districts of Gujarat. It has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in the western state.
The weather department has issued a red alert for these districts- Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Dang, Valsad and Navsari.
Low-lying areas of Navsari and Bilimora have been reeling under the deluge. Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed to carry out the rescue operations.
Parts of south Gujarat and Kutch-Saurashtra regions received very heavy showers in last 24 hours leaving 14 people dead, while over 31,000 were evacuated so far this rainy season, officials said on Wednesday.
Three national highways in Kutch, Navsari and Dang districts were blocked due to damage caused by rains. Fifty one state highways and over 400 panchayat roads have also been damaged, state Disaster Management Minister Rajendra Trivedi told reporters.
"Fourteen people lost their lives in the last 24 hours. Nine of the deaths were due to drowning," he said.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has directed the administration to carry out a survey of the affected districts at the earliest so that people do not have to wait for long for cash and other reliefs to compensate for damages caused due to the rainfall, he said.
