Heavy downpour in Kutch; 15,000 evacuated

Heavy rains lashed Saurashtra region and Kutch district creating a flash flood like situation in Bhuj town, where over 15,000 people were evacuated by local administration, National Disaster Response Force was deployed and Army and Border Security Force have been asked to remain on stand by.

All the ports on the Gujarat coast have been put on danger signal number three due to the rough sea and fishermen have been advised not to venture in the water for the next two days.

Many fishing trawlers have been trapped in the sea and Gujarat government has sought the Indian Coast Guard's help in rescuing a trawler trapped in the Arabian Sea with eight fishermen on board off Chorwad coast in Porbandar district, a senior official said on Tuesday.

In the last 52 years, it is for the first time that a rainfall of 10 inches has been recorded in Bhuj and Abdasa tehsil of Kutch on a single day, district officials said.

"Over 15,000 people affected due to rains in western Kutch have been evacuated and shifted to safer places. A team of National Disaster Rapid Force has arrived here," District Collector, Kutch, M Thennarasan said.

"The Army and BSF have been asked to remain on stand by position and if the situation demands they can be called for rescue operations," he said.

After heavy downpour, out of the 20 medium range dams in Kutch, 12 are overflowing creating a flash flood like situation, another state official said. "Electricity supply was cut off and could only be restored in the evening," he said.

Kutch, a desert district, has an average seasonal rainfall of 14 inches in a rainy season, but 10 inches of rain on a single day has adversely impacted the region, officials said.

"Over 23 boats with 56 fishermen on board that got stuck in the Arabian sea off Jhakhau coast were rescued in a joint operation carried out by the Indian Coast Guard, police and district administration, Thanesaran said.