Three people, including an elderly woman, were rescued from floodwaters on the outskirts of Ahmedabad in the early hours of Friday, 25 July, after being stranded for nearly 11 hours in a joint overnight operation by the district administration and Ahmedabad Rural Police. Heavy rain continued to batter the city and surrounding areas, compounding the humanitarian challenge on the ground.

How the Rescue Unfolded

According to Ahmedabad Rural Police, the three individuals became trapped in rising floodwaters at around 3 p.m. on Thursday after relentless rainfall caused severe waterlogging in the outskirts. As darkness fell, their condition grew increasingly critical, with adverse weather and poor visibility severely hampering rescue efforts.

The Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Dholka, the Police Inspector of Dholka Rural Police Station, and district administration officials coordinated the overnight operation despite the difficult conditions. At around 2 a.m., a rescue team reached the stranded group by boat and safely evacuated all three to a secure location.

Authorities described the outcome as a model of inter-agency coordination. 'This successful rescue operation is an excellent example of the district administration's and Ahmedabad Rural Police's prompt response, effective coordination, and commitment to protecting human life,' police said in a statement.

Scale of Rainfall and Flood Impact

The intensity of the rainfall underscores the severity of the weather event. The Bopal-Ghuma area alone recorded 491 mm (19.64 inches) of rain since Friday morning — a figure that points to an extreme precipitation event rather than routine monsoon activity.

The Bangodara-Sanathal Highway was closed to traffic, with diversions put in place for commuters. Several underpasses remained operational: the Income Tax, Usmanpura, Nirnay Nagar, and Pragatinagar underpasses were fully open, while the Mithakhali underpass was functioning with a single lane. Motorists were advised to use the Navrangpura, Naranpura, and Vijay railway crossings if conditions worsened further.

Emergency Response on Multiple Fronts

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) said rapid water drainage operations were being carried out on a war footing across flooded localities, with rescue and relief efforts simultaneously intensified. The AMC's Fire and Emergency Services Department responded to 132 emergency calls between Thursday and 10 a.m. on Friday, comprising 36 rescue operations, 16 structural collapse incidents, 53 reports of fallen trees, and 27 fire-related emergencies.

On Thursday alone, the department handled 109 incidents — including 26 rescues, 13 structural collapses, 48 fallen trees, and 22 fire calls. A further 23 calls were attended between midnight and 10 a.m. on Thursday, covering 10 rescues, 3 structural collapses, 5 tree-fall incidents, and 5 fire calls.

Additional Resources Deployed

Discussions were held with the Ahmedabad Collector regarding de-flooding requirements at Bavla Industrial Park, according to a message issued for the State Emergency Operations Centre. A disaster response team from Okha, equipped with two 40-tonnes-per-hour dewatering pumps, two submersible pumps, life-saving equipment, food packets, drinking water, and first-aid supplies, was dispatched and was expected to reach the site by Friday afternoon.

With the monsoon showing no signs of abating, authorities have placed all emergency services on round-the-clock alert — and the coming hours will test the city's flood-response capacity further.