Gandhinagar, July 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday regarding the severe rainfall and flooding in Gujarat. He assured that the central government would provide all possible assistance.
In response to the crisis, two additional teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been dispatched to the flood-affected Valsad district via air.
During the phone call, the Prime Minister inquired about the damage caused by the heavy rains and the ongoing rescue and relief operations. According to the state government, PM Modi reassured the Chief Minister that the central government would fully support rescue, relief, and safety efforts in the affected areas.
This initiative comes as relief and rescue operations have intensified in Valsad, one of the most impacted districts due to continuous rainfall. Currently, three NDRF teams and five State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are working alongside local authorities in Valsad.
To bolster relief efforts, two additional NDRF teams are being airlifted from New Delhi and are expected to arrive in Valsad by Thursday evening.
The state government has also reported that a contingent of 70 army personnel, equipped with five boats, is being sent to assist in the rescue operations. Additionally, a 25-member fire service team is being dispatched to Valsad to aid local authorities in managing the flooding.
This extra assistance is being provided as the state government continuously reviews the situation due to the ongoing heavy rains in South Gujarat.
Earlier on Thursday, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visited the state emergency operations center in Gandhinagar. There, he held meetings with officials and district collectors to assess the situation.
The Chief Minister communicated with the collector of Valsad and Minister Naresh Patel to gather information on the rescue efforts and directed that more NDRF teams be sent if necessary. He also instructed the collectors of Surat and Navsari to ensure that residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas are relocated to safer locations.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister spoke with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who assured the state of all necessary support from the central government for rescue and relief operations.
The continuous heavy rainfall over the past two days has severely disrupted daily life in South Gujarat.
Flooding has affected several areas in Valsad, with significant rainfall also impacting nearby districts. In Dang district, many roads have been closed due to heavy rains. The Juj and Keliya dams in Navsari have overflowed, prompting warnings for villages downstream. Meanwhile, rescue teams in Tapi district have been evacuating residents from flood-affected areas to safety.
As a precaution, all schools in Surat district were closed on Thursday.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted heavy to very heavy rainfall in several parts of South and Central Gujarat. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and rescue and relief operations are ongoing.
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