Vadodara is currently grappling with severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall. The city received a whopping 12 inches of rainfall on August 26, coupled with a flood in the Vishwamitri River, leading to a double whammy.
A death of a person who was crushed under a collapsed wall has also been reported in the city, while many have been rescued.
After the Vishwamitri river level reached 34 feet, numerous areas in the city, including Sama Savli Road, Fatehganj, Karelibaug, Tulsiwadi, Hathikhana, Akota, Old Padra Road, and Vadsar, were inundated with river water. Thousands of societies and apartments in these areas have been submerged.
Due to this double calamity, private hospitals and residential areas along the river banks have been flooded. Some hospitals have had to shift patients to other locations.
In Siddhart Nagar on Sama-Savli Road, the combined effect of rain and flood waters has caused widespread devastation, with ground floors of almost all houses submerged.
It is estimated that around 40% of Vadodara is currently submerged under the floodwaters of the Vishwamitri River, leaving lakhs of residents in a dire situation. Thousands of people have been evacuated from low-lying areas.
Areas like Sumeru Duplex, behind Gangotri Party Plot in Sama Harni, and Silver Oak on Harni Motnath Road have witnessed water levels rising up to 5-7 feet due to the overflowing Vishwamitri River.
The encroachments on the banks of the river have reduced its flow, causing the water level to rise rapidly and inundate the city.
Even the Sayaji Hospital has been affected, with surrounding roads flooded by the river water. The hospital superintendent stated that as a precautionary measure, female patients from the ground floor have been shifted to the first floor. The heavy rain and flood have disrupted traffic in the city, leading to a shortage of nurses, drivers, and other staff.
According to sources, the water level of the Ajwa Dam remained at 214 feet at noon today, and the water continues to be released into the Vishwamitri, indicating that the flood situation is unlikely to improve for at least a day.
Furthermore, due to heavy rains and floods, around 50 feeders supplying electricity to around 2.5 lakh connections in the city have been affected, leaving thousands of societies without power since yesterday.
The power supply to around 50 feeders has been disrupted, and 11 feeders are still shut down. Additionally, around 270 transformers are submerged in the floodwaters, and connections to these transformers have been cut off.