Botad (Gujarat) [India], June 17 (ANI): The gates of the Khambhada Dam in Gujarat’s Botad district were opened on Tuesday due to a sharp rise in water levels following relentless rainfall, intensifying waterlogging and flooding across the region. The continuous downpour has led to the closure of Gadgda Road near the Botad Circle and inundation of both urban and rural areas in Gadhada, triggering extensive rescue operations and the relocation of residents and their livestock to safety.
The developing situation in Botad is part of a broader weather emergency gripping Gujarat, with Amreli district also facing severe disruptions. Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Barwala, Sanjay Chaudhari, reported that Botad received 7.5 inches of rainfall in the past 24 hours. As a result, 40 individuals residing downstream were evacuated to shelter homes, with additional relocations from the Ranpur tehsil.
“In the last 24 hours, we have received 7.5 inches of rainfall. Forty people living downstream have been shifted to a shelter home. A few people from Ranpur tehsil have also been shifted. There have been no casualties until now. We are in constant touch with the public. Teams of doctors have been deployed for ailing people and pregnant women,” said Chaudhari.
In neighboring Amreli district, the situation is equally critical. District Magistrate Ajay Dahiya stated that rural areas have been severely impacted by torrential rainfall, prompting multiple high-risk rescue missions with support from the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Coast Guard.
“Amreli has received heavy rainfall, due to which rural areas are flooded. Two to three major rescue operations were carried out. A private bus with six people was stranded on the Amreli-Bhavnagar border. I immediately informed the State Emergency Operations, and an IAF helicopter was dispatched—all six individuals were successfully rescued. Similarly, 24 laborers at a work site in Rajula were rescued by the Coast Guard. In total, rescue operations have taken place at eight different locations,” said Dahiya.
He further added, “Yesterday, three dams overflowed in Amreli; today that number has increased to five. We are issuing alerts and preparing for evacuations in the affected downstream villages. We urge people to avoid driving or walking in flooded areas, especially to prevent lightning-related incidents.”
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert, warning of extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm across several parts of Gujarat over the next 24 hours. (ANI)
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