The flood situation in the industrial towns of Bharuch and Ankleshwar as well as parts of central Gujarat remained grim with a large number of residential societies in knee deep waters and vast swathes of farmland inundated. The sudden heavy discharge from the Sardar Sarovar Dam on Sunday sent Narmada waters dangerously rising and the levels continued to be above the danger mark. Around 8,000 people in 58 residential societies in both towns helplessly watched their valuables and belongings floating. The train movement on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route resumed slowly but the traffic was chaotic on the national highway-48 near Bharuch.
State government spokesman Rushikesh Patel said around 12,500 people were shifted to safer locations in eight districts while 617 people stranded at various places were rescued. The worst-affected districts were Bharuch, Narmada, Vadodara, Dahod, Panchmahal and Anand.
On Sunday, 23 gates of the Sardar Sarovar Dam were opened, letting off the highest ever discharge of 18,00,000 cusecs downstream, giving no chance to people to save their valuables. Around 55 villages of Bharuch and Narmada districts, some 10 low-lying areas of Bharuch town, and 58 residential societies of Ankleshwar, Hansot, and Diva Road, are heavily inundated.
The incessant rain in Ahmedabad threw normal life out of gear as citizens avoided going out as roads remained waterlogged. Towards evening, the city also experienced thunderstorms and occasional heavy rain. Ahmedabad received 84mm of rainfall on Sunday.
Mahi, Orsang and Heran rivers also in spate
Apart from Narmada, rain-fed rivers such as Orsang, Heran, Mahi, Meshri and Panam are swollen due to heavy rain coupled with the release of water from various dams, resulting in inundation of low-lying villages.