Gujarat: 45 marooned villagers airlifted by IAF, 5,000 shifted out of low-lying areas

The Indian Air Force on Sunday airlifted 45 persons stranded in their flood-hit village in Navsari district in south Gujarat, said officials.

Over 5,000 people were shifted from low-lying areas in Navsari district since early Sunday morning due to surge in water levels of Ambika and Purna rivers due to heavy rains, Navsari Collector M D Modiya said.

"Forty-five people were stranded at a prawn farm in Mendhar village due to the rise in the water level of Ambika river owing to heavy rains. They were airlifted by the IAF helicopters and taken to Surat airport," he said.

Two IAF helicopters rescued 31 village residents in the first round, while another chopper rescued 14 stranded more villagers in the next round, said Modiya, adding the rescued people were flown to Surat, from where they would be brought back.

Waghai taluka in Dangs district received over 340 mm rainfall between Saturday and Sunday, causing water levels in both Ambika and Purna rivers passing through the district to breach the danger mark, officials said.

Several areas in Navsari district have been waterlogged with over a dozen villages being badly affected, they added.

Parts of Valsad and Surat districts continued to receive heavy rains, with Kaprada in Valsad receiving 256 mm of rains between 6 am and 4 pm Sunday, data released by the State Emergency Operation Centre said.

Uperpada in Surat was battered by 222 mm of rainfall during this period, while Kwant in Chhota Udepur received 180 mm of rains.

Valsad Collector C R Kharsan said the water released into Daman Ganga river from Madhuvan dam caused the river to swell, with the district administration issuing alerts for people living in low-lying areas.

"We have asked people not to visit tourist points near the river or the sea," he said.

A few places in the districts of Surat, Anand, Dangs, Navsari and Valsad received extremely heavy rains on Saturday, while heavy to very heavy rains occurred in several districts in south and central Gujarat, the IMD said.

It forecast a fairly widespread rainfall across the state on Monday.