Atleast 4 dead, over 16,500 shifted as heavy rain batters Gujarat

Atleast four people lost their lives and more than 16,500 residents were shifted to safer locations as heavy rainfall continued to lash several parts of Gujarat on Friday, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a red alert for five districts (Ahmedabad,Anand,Surendranagar,Rajkot,Botad,Bhavnagar)and an orange alert for 11 (Amreli, Morbi, Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Gandhinagar and Bharuch0,where heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely.

#WATCH | Valsad, Gujarat: The fire department successfully rescued several individuals stranded at the flood-hit Auranga river crossing in Valsad.

(Visuals from the rescue operation) pic.twitter.com/RSWzz2e5QC

— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2026

The IMD has also warned of heavy rain in several districts under a yellow alert, including Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Porbandar, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Mahisagar, Dahod, Panchmahal, Kheda, Vadodara, Surat, Navsari and Valsad.districts on Saturday.According to agency reports,three farm labourers were electrocuted in Navsari district's Gandevi after the tempo carrying them came in contact with a live high-tension overhead power line amid poor visibility caused by heavy rain, police said. Two others sustained critical injuries and were admitted to hospital. The deceased were identified as Kalpesh Halpati (30), Nitin Halpati (32) and Jigar Halpati (21), all residents of Gandeva village. In a separate incident, an 11-year-old girl drowned after being swept away in a canal in Anand district's Borsad taluka, while her siblings were rescued.
According to the Gujarat government, 41 people were rescued and over 16,500 evacuated from vulnerable areas as incessant rainfall triggered flooding in several districts. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reviewed the situation during a late-night visit to the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC). As a precaution, two Army columns each were deployed in Ahmedabad, Navsari and Surat, while Indian Air Force helicopters were kept on standby at Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Vadodara and Pune for possible rescue operations.
Navsari remained among the worst-affected districts, with authorities closing 11 panchayat roads in Gandevi taluka and evacuating residents from low-lying villages, giving priority to the elderly, children, pregnant women and other vulnerable groups. By Friday evening, Gujarat had received 61.5 per cent of its seasonal rainfall, according to official data.State Relief Commissioner Gaurang Makwana urged people to remain indoors unless facing a medical emergency and advised against visiting rivers, canals and waterlogged areas. A total of 33 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams and 17 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed across affected districts.
In Ahmedabad, civic authorities banned public entry to lakefront gardens at the Sabarmati Riverfront and Kankaria Lake and postponed scheduled public events following the IMD's warning of heavy rainfall till August 2. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has placed all 19 fire stations on high alert, with 678 fire and rescue personnel deployed round the clock. Eight rescue boats with trained crews have also been kept on standby, while the city's monsoon control room continues to monitor the situation.The IMD has forecast heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in parts of south and central Gujarat over the next 24 hours and advised residents in affected areas to remain vigilant as authorities continue rescue, relief and evacuation operations.

(State Correspondent)