Surat: As the city faces the threat of a third flood in 25 days, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has stepped up relief, rescue and emergency operations following heavy rainfall on Friday.As a precaution, the civic body shifted 2,062 people from low-lying areas to community halls and relocated 2,943 homeless people living on the streets to municipal shelter homes to ensure their safety and access to basic facilities.To support residents in waterlogged areas, the civic body distributed 5,760 food packets and 8,450 bottles of drinking water. Public health measures were also stepped up, with 27 rapid response teams and 850 health workers conducting surveillance across 113,041 homes and reaching 398,090 citizens. During field operations, they treated 157 cases of common fever and seven cases of diarrhoea and vomiting on the spot.The corporation said essential water and sanitation infrastructure remained operational. All 36 water distribution stations and 18 water treatment plants were functioning, along with 65 sewage pumping stations and all 11 sewage treatment plants.With forecasts warning of continued heavy rain, drainage response resources were kept on standby across the city, including 66 dewatering pumps, 77 JCB machines and 228 trucks and tractors. Tree-trimming operations were also undertaken, including the removal of weakened branches and 199 fallen trees from various locations. On the Tapi river, all 83 floodgates are open, while 26 of the 29 floodgates in coastal creek areas are open.Under the guidance of district collector Tejas Parmar, an Indian Army team was called in from Vadodara on Tuesday morning to bolster the emergency response. The Army’s 203 Engineer Regiment has arrived in Surat with 70 personnel, including a 12-member engineering unit led by an officer. The contingent is equipped with two modern technology-enabled boats, each capable of rescuing 15 to 20 people at a time, along with medical, vehicle and recovery teams.The Army team has reached Umra and will be deployed to evacuate residents stranded in low-lying and affected areas, provide immediate assistance and accelerate rescue operations wherever required.
