Surat: A flood-like situation prevailed in Navsari district on Tuesday after it recorded its heaviest rainfall of the monsoon season, with Khergam taluka receiving 226 mm (9 inches) of rain in the 12 hours ending 6 pm. The relentless downpour in the district and its catchment areas caused the Ambika, Kaveri and Purna rivers to swell rapidly, forcing the administration to evacuate more than 200 people from low-lying areas as the Kaveri crossed the danger mark and the Ambika flowed close to it.Heavy rain lashed other parts of the district as well, inundating low-lying areas and disrupting normal life. As a precaution, district authorities shifted over 200 residents to safer locations. In Bilimora, the municipality evacuated 80 people from Desara, Kumbharwad and Wadia Ship Yard areas to Desara Primary School and Dr BR Ambedkar Community Hall. Another 11 people were shifted to safety in Gandevi, while 137 residents from vulnerable areas in Chikhli were relocated.The incessant rain also affected road connectivity across the district. The roads and buildings department closed 178 roads due to overtopping, waterlogging and damage, and deployed seven emergency teams to restore connectivity. Uprooted trees blocked the Vansda-Hanumanbari, Vansda-Kandha and Chikhli-Dharampur roads, but were cleared after teams rushed to the spots with JCB machines.As the Purna river flowing through Navsari city rose close to the danger mark by evening, the district administration sounded alerts and began public announcements in low-lying localities, asking residents to remain vigilant and be prepared for evacuation if the water level rose further.Two teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were kept on standby to deal with any flood-related emergency, while a community kitchen was started to provide food to people affected by the heavy rain. Officials continued to closely monitor river levels through the evening as forecasts predicted more rainfall over the region.
