Rescue and relief operations intensified across multiple districts of Gujarat on Friday, 25 July, as authorities evacuated over 4,290 people, conducted helicopter airlifts and ground rescues, and launched village-level damage surveys following heavy rainfall and widespread flooding. The operations spanned Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Vadodara, Bharuch, and Ahmedabad districts.

Evacuations and Rescues in Surat

In Surat district, a total of 4,290 affected residents were moved to safer locations, while rescue teams saved 228 people. Of those evacuated, 3,290 were from rural areas — where 152 people were separately rescued — while 1,631 individuals were relocated within the Surat Municipal Corporation limits and 76 were pulled to safety by rescue teams.

Infrastructure restoration also progressed in the district. The road near Khat Bangli Chowki on the Umarpada-Mandvi Road, blocked after a large Umra tree fell, was cleared and reopened for traffic.

Navsari: Helicopter Airlifts, Solar Plant Rescue

Navsari district witnessed several concurrent rescue operations. Near the Railway Office on Bandar Road, the district administration and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) jointly rescued nine people stranded in floodwaters over a two-hour operation that concluded at 2:40 pm. Those rescued were identified as Umar Singh, 30; Vipin Kumar, 25; Bablu, 28; Ashwani Kumar, 22; Navneet, 28; Vikas Chand, 21; Sanjay Kumar, 45; Jitender Kumar, 36; and Pavnesh, 18.

In Mendhar village, the Indian Coast Guard deployed two helicopters to airlift 30 people — including a young child — to safety. Disaster response teams were subsequently deployed to rescue the remaining six stranded individuals. According to official figures, a cumulative total of 170 people had been rescued from the village.

Separately, eight people — three men, two women, and three children — trapped at a solar power plant in Tavdi village of Jalalpore taluka were rescued by teams from the Jalalpore Mamlatdar's office and the Navsari Municipal Corporation Fire Brigade.

Damage Surveys and Road Restoration

As emergency operations wound down in some zones, authorities shifted to the recovery phase. In Chikhli taluka of Navsari district, teams from the Mamlatdar's office, Taluka Panchayat, and multiple government departments launched village-level surveys covering damage to residential houses, crops, livestock, shops, and other properties. Officials said the assessment is intended to facilitate prompt financial assistance to eligible families in accordance with government norms, following transparent verification.

In Valsad district, the Roads and Buildings Department of the District Panchayat began restoration work on rain-damaged roads. Of 446 roads that had been closed, 223 had been reopened for vehicular traffic by the end of the day.

Post-Flood Sanitation and Health Measures

Municipal authorities in Vadodara deployed teams and machinery to remove mud, slush, and accumulated rainwater, aiming to restore traffic movement and reduce disease risk. Residents were urged to cooperate with clean-up efforts.

In Bharuch city, municipal workers began clearing affected localities, removing waste and spraying disinfectants as a preventive measure against post-flood disease spread. Health teams in Netrang conducted door-to-door visits in flood-affected areas, screening residents for fever, cough, and cold. ORS packets and chlorine tablets were distributed, drinking water wells were chlorinated, and health awareness programmes were held for residents and schoolchildren.

The district's Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) teams provided emergency assistance to pregnant women in Sarangpur, Dadhal, and Kosamdi villages, attending to women nearing delivery before transporting them to hospitals via 108 ambulances.

In Ahmedabad, the Fire Department rescued 11 people from flood-affected Rabarivas in the Chharanagar area of Sabarmati. Officials noted that special care was required as older adults were among those rescued; all were subsequently shifted to relatives' homes or other safe locations.

Meanwhile, Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Ltd (PGVCL) clarified that a damaged electricity pole in Jalila village of Ranpur taluka in Botad district was caused by the collapse of an old balcony — not any failure of electrical infrastructure. A new PSC pole was installed and electricity supply restored by 2 pm, despite continuing rain and strong winds. With surveys ongoing and roads steadily reopening, the focus across Gujarat is shifting from immediate rescue to sustained recovery and disease prevention.