A tractor-trolley carrying 17 people swept away while crossing a flooded causeway on a river on Monday in Morbi, Gujarat. A team of NDRF is conducting a search operation to trace seven of them after ten were rescued.
The accident took place near Dhavana village in Morbi, reportedly which has been lashed by heavy rains over last few days.
Morbi fire officer Devendrasinh Jadeja spoke about the overnight operation to rescue the passengers, he said, "The tractor-trolley carrying 17 persons swept away when it was passing through a causeway (over a river) near Dhavana village in Halvad taluka of Morbi district at around 9 pm on Sunday. Ten persons were rescued while seven others are missing."
State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel are conducting a search operation, he said.
Weather In Gujarat
Several parts of Gujarat were battered by heavy to very heavy rains in the last 24 hours till 6 AM on Monday, forcing authorities to shift hundreds of people to safe places after low-lying areas in Navsari and Valsad districts were inundated due to a rise in the water level of monsoon rivers.
Parts of Narmada, Sirendranagar, Rajkot, Tapi, Mahisagarand Morbi, Dahod and Vadodara were among other districts that received over 100 mm of rainfall.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel spoke over the phone to collectors of Morbi, Kutch, Rajkot, Surendranagar and Bhavnagar districts of the Saurashtra region, and Bharuch and Dang districts in south Gujarat late Sunday to review the situation.
Patel instructed the collectors to remain alert and ensure the safety of people and their livestock by constantly monitoring the rainfall situation, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) stated.
The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rains in Gujarat over the next week.
"Based on this (forecast), the Chief Secretary instructed the various district administrations to make all necessary preparations. He instructed the officers and employees of the district and taluka administrative system to be present on duty at the headquarters considering the prevailing rain situation," stated an official release.
(With PTI inputs)
