Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday met and discussed the situation affected due to torrential rainfall with the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir and offered them all possible help from the centre.
Amit Shah met with Devendra Fadnavis and Bhupendra Patel of Maharashtra and Gujarat respectively to update them on the effect of the rain and the steps the state governments were taking, an official said.
The review takes place as the rains keep some parts of the country from enjoying normal lives. Another bout of heavy rainfall was observed in Mumbai, impacting suburban train services and leading to significant issues for commuters. The waterlogged parts of the Vasai–Virar railway section and of some parts in south Gujarat also affected the long-distance trains moving towards Gujarat. A few landslides reported in the Bhor Ghat section of the Mumbai–Pune rail corridor earlier this week continue to hamper operations on the line.
Rain in the hydrological catchment of Mumbai’s drinking water reservoir Tulsi Lake started to overflow, civic officials had earlier said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted intermittent light to moderate rain for the entire Mumbai and its suburbs.
Surat district continued to be one of the most affected districts in the state with 5 deaths reported to police in rain-related incidents and over 2100 people in flood-hit areas sent to safer areas. The rainfall exceeded 300 mm in Kamrej taluka in Surat and Navsari districts leading to closure of schools and colleges.
The Centre will continue to remain in constant touch with the affected states and will proffer all the relevant assistance in terms of relief/regeneration in the event of rescue and rehabilitation, it said.