Army deploys 70 personnel, boats to Gujarat’s rain-hit Valsad as flood rescue operations intensify

New Delhi: The Indian Army has deployed a 70-member team with five boats to Gujarat’s rain-hit Valsad district as torrential rain continued to batter south Gujarat. The deployment comes as authorities intensified rescue and relief operations in the region following widespread flooding, waterlogging and evacuations.

According to media reports, the Army team will work alongside a 25-member fire department unit to assist the district administration in rescue, relief and evacuation operations. Three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and five Gujarat State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are already deployed in Valsad. Two additional NDRF teams are expected to arrive from New Delhi later on Thursday.

The Gujarat government has also stepped-up administrative oversight in the affected districts. The chief minister, Bhupendra Patel, has deputed deputy chief minister, Harsh Sanghavi, tribal development minister, Naresh Patel and senior secretaries to supervise relief work in Surat, Valsad and Navsari. It added that secretaries with specific responsibilities have been directed to immediately reach districts under a red alert to monitor preparedness and response measures.

South Gujarat remained on high alert on Thursday as relentless rainfall caused rivers to swell and inundated several low-lying areas. The flooding disrupted normal life and prompted authorities to evacuate vulnerable residents. Schools and colleges have also been closed in Surat, Navsari and Valsad as a precautionary measure.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast extremely heavy rainfall across several parts of Gujarat over the next three days. In response, district administrations and the Surat municipal corporation have activated round-the-clock rescue and relief operations to deal with the evolving situation.

Surat district remains under a red alert as heavy rain continues to lash the region. The district collector, Tejas Parmar, said the administration has been placed on full alert and confirmed that evacuations from low-lying areas have already begun with the assistance of NDRF and other rescue teams. He also appealed to residents to cooperate with the authorities and rely only on official information instead of rumours.