Battered Vadodara limps back to normalcy

Written By dna Correspondent | Updated: Aug 03, 2019, 06:00 AM IST

An aerial view of the flooded streets in Vadodara

While Rupani and Patel visit flood-affected, administration concentrates on preventing an outbreak of diseases

A break from relentless rains helped Vadodara that was reeling from severe floods and waterlogging to limp back to normalcy. Though the city received scattered rains in the evening, it did not add to the woes of the rain-battered city. Over 6000 people have been evacuated in and around the inundated city which had seen an extremely heavy downpour of 20 inches in a span of eight hours on Wednesday

Vishwamitri swelled due to incessant rains in catchment areas and opening of sluice gates of the Ajwa dam, inundating residential colonies in its vicinity.

In a sigh of relief, District Magistrate Shalini Agarwal said that the floodwater is receding.

"Water level in Vishwamitri is also going down and the water is also receding from the cities. Bridges that were closed due to the floods have been opened for vehicular traffic. Electricity and water supply will also be restored soon," said Agarwal.

Several people were seen stocking up on essentials, on Friday morning.

More In Store, Says Met Dept

Meanwhile, the MET department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in Vadodara during the next couple of days
Several people lost their lives after incessant rains swelled the water level in the river causing it to burst into cities

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel visited the flood-affected people in Vadodara. The two also met those in relief camps in Sama Primary School. Rupani also announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the four people who died in a wall collapse incident due to flooding. He also said that the government will compensate for the flood-affected as per the existing rules.

Patel who is also the health minister also took stock of the preparedness of health facilities to deal with the eventualities of the flood situation. He also met patients admitted to Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad (SSG) Hospital. Meanwhile, there were reports of two newborns dying in the pediatric department of SSG Hospital due to lack of oxygen. The hospital authorities, however, said the babies were born premature and had been in a critical state.

With the waters receding, the administration is now concentrating on health and cleanliness campaigns. Water from the overflowing Vishwamitri brought with it a few crocodiles and several juvenile reptiles. In all, six reptiles have been rescued from residential areas so far.

NDRF inspector Suryakant Kumar told media persons that on Friday over 300 people were rescued from different localities. The rescue teams also got calls for help from hospitals that need its patients to be shifted.

The MET department has meanwhile predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in the city in the next couple of days.