Residents watched in horror as cars, two-wheelers, animals, roadside kiosks, and handcarts were swept away in the flash floods caused by the Kalva River that flows through the town.
What worsened the situation was incessant downpours on Mount Girnar that sent bursts of water gushing into the town that is located at the foothills.In Ahmedabad, 109mm rainfall was recorded in three hours from 6 pm to 9 pm. It was the highest single-day rainfall received by the city this monsoon, indicated Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) officials.
As several western city areas recorded more than 100mm rainfall, heavy waterlogging brought the traffic to a halt. People’s woes were compounded by vehicles which conked off due to water, forcing many to abandon their vehicles on the roads and walk to their destinations.
All eight gates of the Vasna barrage were opened due to excess water inflow.
In south Gujarat, three people including a father-son duo died after their car drowned in the turbulent Damanganga river in the Union territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli. A 19-year-old man was also swept away by gushing waters in Navsari city. Navsari was pounded by 303 mm of rainfall on Saturday.
Junagadh town and district have been battered by rain since Tuesday but the situation turned grim on Thursday with most residential societies and roads heavily inundated. There were no signs of the floodwaters receding till late in the night and the administration fears things could worsen if rain persists.
The ferocity meant there was nothing that the civic machinery could do to provide succour. Junagadh was pounded by nine-and-a-half inches of rain between 1pm and the evening. Water from Girnar also flows into the Sonrekh river that passes through the outskirts of Junagadh.
Gujarat’s biggest zoo, Sakkarbaug, on the city’s outskirts, was also flooded as one of its walls collapsed. However, the animals inside were safe and many carnivores including lions and tigers were shifted to a night shelter with a platform inside the facility, said Aradhana Sahu, chief conservator of forest, Junagadh.
Talking to TOI, municipal commissioner RM Tanna said, “There is no immediate report of human deaths due to the floods. One old house collapsed but the residents were rescued. We have three NDRF teams and fire brigade teams of Junagadh and Rajkot engaged in rescue and relief work.” “The topography of Junagadh is such that waters can’t recede even through natural drains if there is continuous heavy rainfall in upstream,” he explained.
However, by night, flood waters had started receding in many parts of the town. . Junagadh collector A R Ranavasiya requested people not to venture out of their homes and call the control room for help
Watch Junagadh: Flood-like situation due to heavy rains, NDRF rescues several people