Seven killed in rain-related incidents in Gujarat, more than 6,000 relocated
Ahmedabad (PTI): At least seven persons have died in rain-related incidents in different parts of Gujarat, and heavy showers continued to pound the state for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, throwing normal life out of gear and flooding low-lying areas, officials said.
More than 6,000 persons have been relocated to safer places as water levels in dams and rivers rose amid incessant rainfall, they said.
According to officials, seven persons lost their lives in rain-related incidents on Monday. Four persons were killed in wall collapse incidents in Gandhinagar, Kheda and Vadodara districts, while one person died after a tree fell on him and two others drowned in Anand district.
The administrations of Panchmahal, Navsari, Valsad, Vadodara, Bharuch, Kheda, Gandhinagar, Botad and Aravali districts shifted hundreds of people to safer locations as a precautionary measure amid flooding in low-lying areas as water levels rose in rivers and dams.
In Panchmahal, the district administration shifted around 2,000 people, while 1,000 were relocated in Vadodara, 1,200 in Navsari, and 800 in Valsad, among other areas, officials said.
As per data shared by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), the state has received nearly 100 per cent of its average annual rainfall so far, with Kutch, Saurashtra and south Gujarat accounting for more than 100 per cent of their average annual rainfall this season.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast isolated extremely heavy rainfall in most parts of the state on Tuesday, in the Saurashtra-Kutch region on Wednesday and Thursday, and heavy to very heavy rains across the state till Thursday.
Tankara taluka in Morbi district received 347 mm of rainfall in 24 hours ending at 6 am on Tuesday, the highest in the state, followed by Morva Hadaf in Panchmahal (346 mm), Nadiad in Kheda (327 mm), Borsad in Anand (318 mm), Vadodara taluka (316 mm) and Anand taluka (314 mm).
At least 24 out of 251 talukas received more than 200 mm rainfall, and 91 talukas received more than 100 mm showers in 24 hours, the SEOC said.
A fresh spell of rainfall on Tuesday battered Rajkot city, inundating low-lying areas, roads and underpasses. Rajkot city alone received 142 mm of rainfall in four hours since 6 am, the SEOC data showed.
Apart from this, Surendranagar, Kheda, and Devbhumi Dwarka were also battered by rains in the morning hours.
The state government, in an update, said 96 reservoirs were flowing above danger levels, and a high alert was sounded for them. A warning was issued for 19 reservoirs flowing near their danger marks.
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EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
