Heavy rains cripple normal life in Valsad;many areas submerged

Heavy rains in South Gujarat's Valsad district today disrupted normal life, leaving several city areas submerged and disrupting road as well as rail traffic, officials said.

Valsad, bordering Maharashtra state, received 18 inches rainfall in five hours from 4 AM to 9 AM in the morning, a weather department official said here.

Heavy rains were also recorded in other districts of South Gujarat like Surat and Dangs.

Jamnagar city, located in Saurashtra region, also received nine inches of rain in the last 12 hours which resulted in water logging in low lying areas.

Teams of NDRF have been rushed to Valsad from Ahmedabad, officials said.

Main localities of Valsad city - including Mahatma Gandhi Road, Circuit House crossroads, Tithal road, Nanakwada and Hilar Road - were submerged, an official said.

Rail traffic between Ahmedabad and Mumbai has been disrupted as tracks at Valsad were totally submerged. Western Railway has cancelled fully or partially 15 trains between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, officials said.

Road traffic was affected in South Gujarat and there were heavy traffic jams on highways, they said.

Valsad Collector Vikrant Pandey told PTI, "There is no casualty so far. River Auranga is also flowing below normal. Water in Valsad city is due to lacunae of local administration. There is no outlet for water to recede."

Valsad SP Nipuna Torwane said the assessment of loss will be done after water recedes.

Heavy rains also affected life in Jamnagar district. Nine inches of rain in the last 12 hours has resulted in water logging in low lying areas of the city.

"Off shore trough has become more prominent running from Gujarat coast to Kerala which is causing heavy rain," Met department officials said.

The department has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in next 48 hours in North, Central and South Gujarat.