M A I N   N E W S

Gujarat deluge cuts off 8000 villages

Gandhinagar, July 2
The authorities today struggled to deliver food, water and medicines to thousands of swamped villages as rains kept pounding Gujarat, raising fears that the death toll in the state’s worst floods could be far higher than the 100-plus reported so far.

The Centre assessed the impact of flooding as ‘’very critical’’ as gushing waters threatened to swallow more homes in vulnerable parts of central and south Gujarat.

Flooding has displaced more than 2 lakh persons, with an unknown number in most of the 8,000 villages yet to be reached, officials said.

‘’The situation in Gujarat is very critical. Many areas are inundated and communication links have broken down...,’’ Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil told a news conference after an aerial survey of Rural Ahmedabad, Umreth, Kheda and Anand with state Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

The authorities have, however, evacuated some 3,500 passengers of three trains stranded at Anand, Dakor and Baroda but rain water has crashed into most tracks and railway stations of the worst-hit areas.

The Centre has given an immediate sanction to Mr Modi’s request for ten additional helicopters, 60 boats and two paramilitary battalions to tackle the floods, but bad weather is hampering relief and rescue.

More than 100 deaths have been reported over the four days of enormous monsoon rains that have flooded 70 per cent of the state and affected 1.7 crore persons. However, Home Ministry officials say the toll could run into several hundreds.

A severe power crisis has made things worse in as many as 31 towns and almost all the villages in the affected areas. Rains have damaged eight dams with 54 others overflowing alarmingly, the officials said.

“The priority is to monitor dam gate operations,’’ an official said.

Weather officials fear that another spell of rains may be ‘’on its way’’ to the state. Hundreds of factories are shut in the state as are schools, colleges and offices.

Rivers and dams in the state continue to overflow following days of heavy rain, indicating the danger continues.

Roads in the affected areas are closed as water has gushed against bridge decks, but it is still not clear how many houses have suffered flood damage.

Water in some low-lying areas has lapped up above the ground floors of buildings, with its volume pegged at multiple times the normal amount during monsoon.