Valsad (Gujarat) [India], August 1 : The fire department successfully rescued three people who were stranded near the Auranga River crossing in flood-hit Valsad, officials said.
Deputy DM Vimal Patel said the three individuals had gone to a bridge connecting Valsad city with a nearby village when they became stranded due to flooding in the surrounding area.
Speaking to ANI, the DM said, "About an hour ago, three people, who had gone to a bridge connecting Valsad city and the village, became stranded. Although there was no water on the bridge itself, the surrounding area was flooded. We received a distress call and launched a rescue operation, which proved successful."
The rescue operation was launched after the authorities received a distress call regarding the stranded individuals. The fire department team reached the spot and successfully brought them to safety.
Meanwhile, amid the recent unprecedented and extremely heavy rainfall across Gujarat, the State's Roads and Buildings Department delivered commendable service in the interest of citizens. Between July 23 and 27, torrential rainfall across several districts caused severe waterlogging and flood-like conditions.
According to the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office, despite these challenging circumstances, the Department launched rapid restoration efforts and reopened roads closed by the rains within hours, ensuring the swift resumption of vehicular movement.
According to official information from the Roads and Buildings Department, a total of 1,540 roads across the State were closed during the five days of extremely heavy rainfall due to safety concerns, floodwater overtopping, and damage to road infrastructure. Owing to the Department's prompt restoration efforts, 1,451 roads, nearly 94 per cent of the total, have since been repaired and reopened for normal traffic.
The impact was particularly severe in South Gujarat, where 1,251 roads were closed due to heavy rainfall. Despite the challenging conditions, the Roads and Buildings Department restored vehicular movement on 1,187 roads within just 24 to 48 hours. As a result of these sustained efforts, 1,236 roads, more than 98 per cent of the affected roads in the region, have now been restored for vehicular movement.
Under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Harsh Sanghavi, and the Secretary of the Roads and Buildings Department, the Department adopted a Four-Pillar Strategy and carried out round-the-clock restoration operations to ensure the swift reopening of affected roads.
During the emergency, more than 1,400 officers and personnel, including 145 technical officers and 1,316 field staff, were deployed round the clock to carry out restoration works across the affected areas.
More than 300 heavy vehicles and machines, including 195 JCBs, 86 tractors, and 59 dumpers, were deployed to swiftly clear road breaches, remove debris, and restore connectivity.