Ahmedabad, June 19
Gujarat’s early monsoon showers have turned catastrophic as incessant rainfall triggered flash floods, building collapses, large-scale evacuations, and loss of life across multiple districts. The state saw heavy rainfall on June 16, 17 and 18, which claimed the lives of seven members of a family in Botad, and over 100 people have been rescued from various flood-affected areas.
In Bhavnagar district, villages across the Bhal region remain submerged, days after intense rainfall battered the area.
Vast tracts of land are still waterlogged. On June 18, the Bhavnagar Fire Department carried out a high-risk rescue operation near Kamlej village, saving 58 people -- including 10 women and nine children --trapped in floodwaters up to two kilometres from the nearest accessible point. Firefighters used a boat engine to navigate the swift waters, pulling stranded residents to safety. The disaster extended to livestock as well.
More than 400 cattle were rescued and shifted to higher ground. Meanwhile, in villages like Devaliya, Paliyad, and Sanes, local residents used JCB machinery to drain water and restore basic services, such as electricity and sanitation.
Despite a break in rainfall across nine talukas, the Gujarat Meteorological Department has retained rain alerts, warning of further spells in isolated pockets.