Gandhinagar: Chief minister Bhupendra Patel will visit Surat and Valsad districts on Thursday to review relief and rescue operations as heavy rains continue to affect several parts of south Gujarat, state govt spokesperson Jitu Vaghani said on Wednesday.According to data released by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), 3,577 people were rescued from flood affected areas in the state with 3,416 in Surat, 120 in Navsari and 116 in Amreli districts, in 24 hours ending 5pm on Wednesday. Of the 5,944 people evacuated during the same period, Surat reported the highest at 3,881 followed by Navsari (2,113), Amreli (641), Gir Somnath (480) and Junagadh (297).Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, Vaghani said the CM reviewed the overall rain situation across the state and directed ministers in charge of rain-affected districts to personally assess the preparedness of local administrations and disaster management arrangements on the ground.The cabinet also paid tribute to 11 people who lost their lives in the past few days in monsoon-related incidents, including wall collapse, falling trees and lightning strikes. They also offered condolences to the bereaved families.Union home minister Amit Shah also spoke to the CM on Wednesday regarding the situation arising because of heavy rain in parts of Saurashtra and south Gujarat.An official statement said Shah was apprised of the progress of relief and rescue operations in the affected areas, along with steps being taken to ensure the safety of people.The state govt said that the Union govt was closely monitoring the rain situation in Gujarat. The Centre has also ensured supply of necessary resources, technical support, and any other assistance, it added.
