At least 15 people died, while more than 23,000 were evacuated and over 300 rescued in different districts of Gujarat as heavy showers continued to lash the coastal state.
While the intensity of the rain reduced on Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert for Gujarat, predicting more downpours in the coming days.
To increase the pace of rescue and relief operations, the Gujarat government has sought six Indian Army columns-- one each in Dwarka, Anand, Vadodara, Kheda, Morbi, and Rajkot districts.
In addition, 14 NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) platoons and 22 of SDRF have already been deployed to support the disaster management efforts.
On Tuesday, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also convened a high-level meeting to review the relief and rescue operations.
"The Chief Minister instructed the District Collectors to take full vigilance and caution by taking the help of the police so that no one goes into the overflowed rivers, drains and lakes as a result of heavy rains. Apart from this, the Meteorological Department has specially urged the District Collectors of the coastal areas to strictly follow the warning to the fishermen not to venture into the sea," the Chief Minister's Office said in a post on X.
Patel also received the details of the Army, Air Force, NDRF and SDRF personnel who have been assisting the local administration in disaster management, including rescue operations.
15 PEOPLE DIE IN RAIN FURY
At least 15 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents since Monday.
According to the details shared by the Gujarat government, at least one person died in Morbi, two people died in Gandhinagar, six people died in Anand, one person died in Vadodara, one person died in Kheda, two people died in Mahisagar, one person died in Bharuch, and one person died in Ahmedabad.
More than 12,000 people were relocated on Tuesday in Vadodara (8,361) and Panchmahals (4,000)-- the two worst affected states.
So far, more than 23,870 people have been shifted to safe places and 1,696 rescued. Those evacuated in the last two days included 1,200 in Navsari, 800 in Valsad, 200 in Bharuch, 235 in Kheda and 200 in Botad districts, they said.
Among those who were evacuated were 75 pregnant women -- 45 in Vadodara and 30 in Devbhumi Dwarka district -- who were shifted to the nearest health centres, stated the release.
RIVERS BREACH SAFETY MARK
Amid the continuous rain in Gujarat, many rivers in the state have crossed the danger mark.
In the state's Bharuch district, several low-lying areas were inundated after the Narmada river crossed the danger mark of 24 feet at Golden Bridge following the continuous inflow of dam waters from adjoining Madhya Pradesh.
Similarly, in the Vadodara district, more than 3,000 people living in low-lying areas were shifted to safer places after the Vishwamitri River crossed the danger mark of 25 feet on Tuesday morning.
