Gujarat put on flood alert, 14 killed

At least 14 people died in Gujarat in the last 24 hours as heavy rains lashed different parts of the state, disrupting normal life.

Over 6,000 people were evacuated after major dams overflowed, disrupting traffic and isolating villages in south Gujarat and Saurashtra regions.

The Army was put on alert in several parts of the state, including Ahmedabad, official sources said on Monday.

The worst-affected districts are Bharuch, Narmada and Surat districts of south Gujarat, while those in Saurashtra region are Bhavnagar and Surendranagar districts.

Rail traffic on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route was also disrupted due to water-logging. Nearly 170 state highways were closed after water flooded low-lying areas and cut off hundreds of villages from the rest of the state.

Nearly 700 school children in Junagadh were detained inside the premises due to the risk posed to them by water-logging outside.

According to official sources, about 1,500 villages had no electricity as power lines snapped due to storm and constant downpour.

Twenty-two dams, including the Sardar Sarovar dam, on the Narmada, are overflowing and many others have been put on high-alert.