Surat records 17 rain-related deaths so far; CM announces Rs 500 cr for measures to prevent flooding

Surat, Jul 9 (PTI) Rain-related incidents have claimed the lives of 17 people in Surat district of Gujarat over the past few days, during which more than 3,600 people were rescued and over 4,300 shifted from low-lying areas of the city, officials said on Thursday. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel held a meeting to review the situation and announced Rs 500 crore for long-term planning to permanently resolve the "recurring" flood situation in Surat. As the floodwater, which caused damage to properties in low-lying areas, is slowly receding, the situation is gradually limping back to normalcy. Talking to PTI, Surat disaster deputy mamlatdar Sajid Merujay said, "Eleven deaths have been confirmed, including three in rural areas and eight in Surat city. Additionally, six more bodies were recovered from the city today, and their identification and post-mortem examinations are currently underway." In the 24-hour period ending Wednesday morning, Surat was battered by 358 mm of rainfall, which created a flood-like situation around creek areas of the city. However, there was a respite from rains after that as the city recorded only 1 mm rainfall till Thursday morning. Umarpada taluka in the district received 16 mm rainfall in 24 hours, followed by Chorasi and Mandvi at 8 mm, according to data released by State Emergency Operations Centre. So far, 3,648 people have been rescued and 4,313 others shifted from low-lying areas of the city, officials said on Thursday. In one incident, two brothers were swept away in their car. While one of them is safe, the other is missing. "The person swept away in the incident has been identified as Sandeep Chovatiya (27)," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Zone-1 Alok Kumar told PTI. The incident occurred on July 7 around 8 pm in the Laskana area while they were attempting to drive a sedan car through floodwaters, he said, adding that the vehicle was swept away by a strong current. Both brothers got out of the car. While one of them clung to tree and was saved, the other went missing, a fire official said. Although rains have now stopped, visuals of the extensive damage caused by the flooding have gone viral on social media. As the floodwaters began to recede, residents were seen clearing mud and dirty water from their homes and rooms. Ground-floor commercial establishments at Poddar Arcade in the Varachha area of the city were among the worst affected after floodwaters entered the premises. Several mobile phone traders there were seen disposing of electronic devices and accessories damaged by the floodwaters. CM Patel, along with Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Union Minister C R Patil, held a meeting at the integrated command and control center in Surat's Althan to review the flood situation caused by heavy rainfall. In a post on X, the CM said, "To prevent the recurring flood situation in Surat, the state government will allocate Rs 500 crore for long-term planning and the permanent resolution of the issue through creek development." "Instructions were given to officials to ensure all departments of the administration coordinate with each other to carry out their duties effectively and to prepare a firm plan to prevent creek flooding for future planning," he added. PTI KVM PD NP