RAJKOT: The Junagadh town of Gujarat was marooned on Saturday after it received heavy downpour of around 238mm in a single day, paralysing the city.
The cars, two wheelers and even a group of buffaloes were swept away in the flood waters as all the government machinery failed in dealing with the situation. The city has been receiving heavy rainfall for the last four days.
According to the sources, it was the first time when the elite areas of the city like Raijibag, Motibag, Ganesh Nagar, Damodarkund, Dolatpara, Kalva chowk, Jalaram society, Madhuram society, Gandhi chowk, Chitkhana, Panjrapol, Bhavnath Taleti were under flood waters, forcing people living on the ground floors to take shelter on upper floors or leave their houses. The Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JuMC) evacuated over 250 people from the law laying areas.
Cabinet minister Raghavji Patel addressing media persons in Rajkot regarding Junagadh rain said: "The situation of Junagadh city has been worsened because of heavy rainfall and waterfall from the Girnar hill. Many areas of the city are submerged. Chief minister Bhupendra Patel took stock of the situation sitting in Rajkot collector office and instructed the chief secretary to expedite relief and rescue work. The CM wanted to go to Junagadh but the roads were closed and he could not reach there by car neither use a helicopter because of low visibility."
Dr. Urvish Vasavda, a resident of Raijibag area said: "First time in my 67 years life, I witnessed this kind of incessant rain and flooding in Junagadh. When I was coming from the clinic to home in my car, I could barely see one foot away, it was a miracle that I reached home. Water gushed in my home also and we were forced to shift to the second floor. The vehicles were swept away in turbulent water and now we don’t know where to find them."
Pannag Mankad, a resident said: "All the bypasses connecting to Junagadh be it Veraval, Visavadar or Rajkot are closed for traffic. The city is cut off currently. The main roads of the city are also closed for traffic and we are praying that the rain should now take a break."
Talking to TOI, municipal commissioner R M Tanna said: "There is no report of human death due to rain. An old house collapsed, but the residents were rescued. We have three NDRF teams, our fire brigade and a team of Rajkot fire brigade also reached for the relief and rescue work." He also added that "The topography of Junagadh is of the kind that, when there is continuous rain up stream the water won’t recede. The water did not recede through natural drains because of heavy rain in the up stream.”
Cars, bikes, small larris were swept away in the turbulent water in the city area. The water gushed in the approx all the houses. Because of heavy rain on Girnar and Datar hill the Kalva river is on spate which created a horrific situation for the residents.
The low lying areas in the city like Mubarak Para, Ambadekarnagar are submerged. Junagadh collector A R Ranavasiya asked people not to venture out and call to the control room for any need.
