Meteorology department has predicted heavy rainfall in Gujarat for next five days, even as Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani conducted an aerial survey of Saurashtra region that has been witnessing floods in various parts.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled programmes in Junagadh, Valsad and Gandhinagar on July 20 stand cancelled due to heavy rainfall in the state.
NDRF teams have been pressed into service in South Gujarat and Saurashtra regions to shift people to safer places. The areas have been witnessing heavy rainfall for more than three days.
Director of Meteorology Department in Gujarat Dr Jayant Sarkar said that South Gujarat, Saurashtra, Kutch and Noth Gujarat are expected to receive heavy rainfall in next five days due to cyclonic circulation system over the Arabian Sea.
As many as 20 teams of NDRF have been put on alert following forecast of heavy rainfall. An overview of a situation that could arise in five days was taken at a meeting of State Emergency Operation Centre in Gandhinagar.
Rupani, who conducted the aerial survey, was to land in at Somnath, but that was not possible due to heavy rains and hence he went to Somnath by road from Jetpur.
Several regions of Saurashtra went without electricity. In many areas the feeders were shut, on temporary basis, to avoid any major accident.
Train services to Jamnagar have been affected due to railway track caving in at Kanalus following heavy rainfall. There are reports of water entering Reliance Limited's township in Jamnagar and also in some parts of its refinery.
With good rainfall in the state, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel announced that farmers would start getting water through the Narmada Canal. The state has so far received 41 per cent of season's rainfall. Water will also be provided through Sujalam Sufalam Canal passing through various parts of North Gujarat and Saurashtra.
Earlier, the state government had stopped giving Narmada waters to the farmers for cultivation on the grounds that the water level in the Sardar Sarvar Dam had gone down and there was less rainfall in the upstream regions of the dam in Madhya Pradesh.
The state government announced that it would support farmers whose fields have been inundated.
So far 30 people have lot lives in Gujarat due to rain-related accidents. More than 3,500 people have been shifted to safer places during the last few days.
Meanwhile, opposition Congress has alleged that the state government has failed to provide relief to the flood affected people. Leader of the opposition, Paresh Dhanani, alleged that there has been no proper planning to contain inundation of lower areas.