Incessant rains and opening of dams’ gates in Kota’s Chambal river have created a flood-like situation in at least seven districts of Rajasthan. The Army has been alerted in the Baran district where some people are stuck in inundated villages since last night.

Five persons, including a couple and a young man, were swept in the flash floods in Tonk district, and two youth drowned with their bike in Udaipur’s Nandvel village while crossing the inundated bridge in the last 24 hours. One body was also recovered by the SDRF team.

As many as 17 teams of SDRF (State Disaster Relief Force) and NDRF have been working 24×7 and operating rescue operations in the Hadoti region covering Kota, Bundi, Baran and Jhalawar, its Commandant of SDRF R K Gupta told SNS when contacted. Besides, the flood-like situation also emerged in Karauli, Sawaimadhopur and Dholpur districts, Gupta said.

The Army has been alerted and a request for a chopper is made in Dholpur district where Chambal river is creating havoc due to opening of gates in Kota division, he said, adding about 5 to 6 lakh cusec water is released every day by opening the 14 gates of Kota barrage in Hadoti belt. Thousands of people stranded in the low lying areas of Kota were shifted to shelters and safer places. All schools have been closed in Hadoti region following heavy rains and flood like situation, according to the district administration.

About 1086 stranded people were rescued in Kota division, 564 citizens rescued in Dholpur district and one body was found, the Commandant said.

Ten gates of Gandhisagar, 11 each of Rana Pratap and Jawahar dams in Kota district and 24 gates of Kalisindh, 9 of Chappi and 5 of Bheemsagar in Jhalwar district, and ten in Gudha of Bundi district were opened to release the rainy water crossing the red mark.

As the SW monsoon is active in most parts of Rajasthan, Jaipur district was also hit by intermittent heavy downpour since yesterday.

In rain related mishaps 67 people have died in 25 out of 33 districts in Rajasthan during June 22 to August 23, while the lives of 1236 people were saved by the SDRF teams in its 115 rescue operation, the Commandant said.

Director of Jaipur Weather Office Radhey Shyam predicted in his report that the monsoonal rain trend would be aggressive in Kota and in western districts of Jodhpur division in the next 24 hours. The monsoon can abate in the state from August 25, he said.