2 killed, 25,000 evacuated in western India amid heavy rains, floods

NEW DELHI, July 25 — Authorities have shifted over 25,000 people to safer places as heavy rains and floods killed two people in India’s western states of Gujarat and Rajasthan, officials said Tuesday.

Apart from disaster response force teams, authorities have sought help from Indian army and Air Force for relief and rescue in the affected areas of Banaskantha and Patan districts in the north of Gujarat.

“Heavy rain and water inflow coming from west Rajasthan has created flood-like situation in most of the areas of Banaskantha and Patan,” an official said. “Sipu dam and Dantivada dams are overflowing and all the villages in its low lying areas have been asked to shift to safer places.”

Schools in the floods and rain-hit areas have been closed by the officials.

“More than 22,000 people have been evacuated to safety across Gujarat after several districts in the north and central parts of the state were inundated,” the official said.

Meanwhile, in adjacent Rajasthan state, heavy rainfall in several districts including Jalore, Pali and Sirohi has affected normal life and killed four people.

“Two people each in Udaipur and Sirohi districts have been killed in heavy rain, while as more than 3,000 people were rescued from flooded regions in Jalore and Sirohi,” an official said.

According to local meteorological department officials, Sirohi district received 757 mm rainfall – highest in the state until Monday.

Mount Abu the famous hill resort and tourist destination in Sirohi district received a rainfall of 991 mm in the last 48 hours.

“Rescue and relief operation is going on in the flooded districts of Sirohi and Jalore. The Indian Air force pressed two helicopters for rescue and relief operations in the both districts. So far, eight districts including Jodhpur, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Pali, Udaipur, Sirohi and Pratapgarh have received abnormal rainfall.

Till Monday the state received average rainfall of 269 mm, which is 33 percent higher compared to 2016.

Currently several parts of India are experiencing monsoons.