Amit Shah Dials CM Patel As Gujarat Battles Floods, Discusses Yamuna Water Level With Delhi LG

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inquired about the flood-like situation in Gujarat with CM Bhupendra Patel and discussed the Yamuna water level with Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena.

Roads of Junagadh in Gujarat inundated after continuous rainfall

Source : PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that he spoke to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and inquired about the flood-like situation in the state. Heavy rainfall pounded several districts in Gujarat's southern and Saurashtra regions on Saturday, which triggered a flood-like situation in urban areas and isolated villages as the water level in dams and rivers surged to dangerous levels. The Union Minister also said that he had a discussion with Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena about the water level in the Yamuna River. 

He added that there are State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams available to help people in need in Gujarat. 

"Spoke to Gujarat CM Shri @Bhupendrapbjp Ji about the flood-like situation occurring in various parts of the state due to the recent heavy rainfall. Also had a discussion with LG of Delhi, Shri VK Saxena Ji about the water level in the Yamuna River. Ample numbers of SDRF and NDRF teams are available to help the people in need," the home minister said on Twitter.

During Saturday’s downpours, dozens of parked cars and cattle were swept away in gushing waters on the streets of Junagadh city after it received 241 mm of rainfall in just 12 hours till 8 pm. People were seen wading through waist-deep water to shift to safer places. Some of them were rescued by volunteers.

The Gujarat government said low-lying areas were flooded due to rains in Junagadh district. At least 250 people evacuated to safer places in an operation by Saturday evening.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel cut short his official programmes in Rajkot and reached the district collector's office to review the situation in Junagadh. Authorities requested people to take precautions and urged them to contact the control room in case of any untoward incident or emergency. 

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the water level of the Yamuna River breached the danger mark of 205.33 mm again following a surge in the discharge from the Hathnikund barrage into the river after heavy rain in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. A further increase in the water level of the river is likely to impact the relief-and-rehabilitation work in the flood-affected low-lying areas of the national capital, PTI reported an official as saying.