When the flood hit Rajasthan’s Jalore district, 519 girls and staff members were stranded at the Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar Girls Hostel in Bhainswara, Ahor sub-division of the district.They were rescued in a major operation by the army on Friday.
The water from Jawai dam flooded and waterlogged the hostel on Friday night. Looking at the gravity of the situation, the administration decided to seek help from the army.
#Update #RajasthanFloods 519 students & 3 teachers evacuated from Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Girls Hostel, Bhainswara, Jalore #HADR #KonarkCorps pic.twitter.com/e86Swm5yHJ
— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) July 29, 2017
“We evacuated 519 girls and teachers along with the other staff from the hostel on Friday night and shifted them to a safer place where all of them were provided with the medical aid and food,” said defence spokesperson, Manish Ojha, according to a TOI report.
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The incessant rains have wreaked havoc in many parts of the district and other areas too. The army roped in three columns for rescue and relief operations in Sanchore, Ahor and Jalore, situated at the south bank of Jawai. The floods also collapsed two bridges over the river between Sumerpur and Sheoganj and between Ahor and Jalore on Saturday.
#Update #RajasthanFloods Relief & medical aid to flood victims continue in Sanchor,Sakhar,Surva, Dutwa and Padradi #KonarkCorps #HADR pic.twitter.com/iUTyySpV3p
— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) July 30, 2017
The conditions of the roads are abysmal and rail links across the city have been suspended as the railway station of the town is completely submerged.
Superintending Engineer Pratap Singh issued a statement saying, “80,000 cusecs (unit of flow equal to one cubic foot per second) water was released from the dam on Friday night through all the gates. On Saturday morning, all the gates were shut except 3, which have been releasing the excess water from the dam.”
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More than 120 villages and localities surrounding the river were alerted. Many living in low lying threat-prone areas were evacuated. “We have shifted about 7,000 persons to the safer places amid the threat of water, and accommodated 720 persons at the help centers across the city,” said District Collector L N Soni.
Saturday gave the administration in the city a breather when the heavy spells stopped, except in Ahor. The MET Department reported that Raniwara in Jalore district has recorded the highest rain at 1,285mm this monsoon, and Jalore city received 800mm. While Sanchore recorded 916mm, Ahor received 519mm rain.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, in an attempt to look into the flood situation in Jalore, undertook an aerial survey. But she had to return after a partial survey of Pali and Sirohi, because her chopper could not land due to the ruthless weather.