Gujarat floods: NDRF, Army deployed as South Gujarat reels under record rainfall
Synopsis
South Gujarat is under siege — Valsad's Umargam taluka alone received 43 inches of rain in 28 hours, over 1,200 people have been rescued, and 70 Army personnel with five boats are now moving in. With the Air Force grounded by weather and 300-plus roads shut, the next 48 hours will test the limits of the state's flood response machinery.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat deployed additional NDRF and SDRF teams across Valsad , Surat , Navsari , and Tapi on 24 July as exceptionally heavy rainfall continued.
Umargam taluka in Valsad recorded nearly 43 inches of rainfall in 28 hours — the worst-affected area in the region.
Around 1,200 people rescued across districts; 1,500 shifted to safety in Surat city ; 200 rescued from 11 villages in Navsari .
70 Army personnel with 5 boats and a 25-member Fire Services team are being deployed to Valsad ; two additional NDRF teams from New Delhi expected Thursday.
More than 300 panchayat roads closed and over 200 State Transport services suspended; Air Force and Coast Guard on standby pending weather clearance.
One drowning death reported in Tapi district ; no other fatalities confirmed across affected areas.
Gujarat has significantly scaled up its flood response across South Gujarat, deploying additional National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams and placing Army and Coast Guard resources on standby, as exceptionally heavy rainfall continued to batter Valsad, Surat, Navsari, and Tapi districts on 24 July. The response was coordinated from the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) in Gandhinagar, where Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel chaired a high-level review meeting.
Key Developments on the Ground
Relief Commissioner Gaurav Makwana told the meeting that southern Gujarat had remained under a red alert since Wednesday and had experienced extremely heavy rainfall since Tuesday. Valsad district emerged as the worst affected, with Umargam taluka recording nearly 43 inches of rainfall over 28 hours. Areas including Kaprada, Vapi, and other parts of Valsad also logged exceptionally heavy rainfall.
According to Makwana, around 1,200 people had been rescued across the affected districts. In Surat city, nearly 1,500 people had been shifted to safer locations. In Navsari district, around 200 people stranded in 11 villages due to flooding in the Kaveri river were rescued and relocated. Makwana confirmed there were no critically stranded persons in the affected districts at the time of the briefing.
Rescue Force Deployment
In Surat, three NDRF and five SDRF teams are currently operational. Valsad has two NDRF and four SDRF teams deployed, with one additional NDRF and one SDRF team being dispatched. For Valsad overall, three NDRF and five SDRF teams are engaged in rescue and relief, with two additional NDRF teams from New Delhi expected to arrive later on Thursday. Navsari has two SDRF teams, with one NDRF team being moved from Surat.
A contingent of 70 Army personnel equipped with five boats, along with a Fire Services team of 25 personnel, is also being deployed to assist the Valsad district administration. NDRF and SDRF teams have been kept on standby in Amreli, Junagadh, and Bhavnagar, with reserve teams available elsewhere in the state.
Infrastructure and Services Hit
More than 300 panchayat roads have been temporarily closed due to overtopping, and over 200 State Transport bus services have been suspended. Power supply has been disrupted at several locations, including two substations, with restoration work to begin once floodwaters recede. The Air Force and Coast Guard have been placed on standby, though adverse weather conditions are currently preventing aircraft operations.
Officials informed the meeting that more than 3,400 dumpers, over 1,100 JCB machines, and other equipment have been kept ready for road and infrastructure restoration once conditions improve.
Centre Assures Full Support
Chief Minister Patel received calls from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, both of whom sought updates on the situation and assured full Central government support for rescue, relief, and public safety operations. Shah also assured all necessary assistance in a separate conversation with Patel, according to Makwana.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Tribal Development Minister Naresh Patel, and senior Secretaries Remya Mohan and Alok Pandey have been directed to assist local administrations in the affected districts. In-charge Secretaries have been instructed to immediately proceed to districts placed under a red alert by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Casualties and Health Preparedness
Makwana confirmed that one drowning death had been reported in Tapi district — the only fatality recorded across the affected areas as of Thursday. The Health Department has been directed to maintain full preparedness on sanitation, disease prevention, and essential medicine stocks to guard against post-flood outbreaks. Officials have also been instructed to ensure drinking water supply, sanitation facilities, and food packets for displaced residents.
With two additional NDRF teams en route from New Delhi and Army units moving in, the state's flood response is expected to intensify through the weekend as the IMD red alert remains in force across South Gujarat.
Point of View
But the grounding of Air Force assets due to adverse weather exposes a persistent gap: when conditions are worst, aerial rescue — the last resort for the most isolated — is also least available. The single fatality, if it holds, would be a relatively contained outcome given the scale of disruption, but the post-flood disease risk in low-lying Valsad and Navsari remains the less-visible threat that health authorities must now front-run.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which districts in Gujarat are worst affected by the July 2025 floods?
Valsad, Surat, Navsari, and Tapi districts in South Gujarat are the worst affected, with all four under a red alert issued by the India Meteorological Department. Valsad's Umargam taluka recorded nearly 43 inches of rainfall in 28 hours, making it the most severely hit area.
How many people have been rescued in the Gujarat floods so far?
Around 1,200 people have been rescued across the affected districts as of 24 July. Nearly 1,500 people were shifted to safer locations in Surat city, and 200 people stranded in 11 villages due to Kaveri river flooding in Navsari district were also rescued and relocated.
Are Army and Air Force units deployed for Gujarat flood relief?
Yes. A contingent of 70 Army personnel equipped with five boats, along with a 25-member Fire Services team, is being deployed to Valsad district. The Air Force and Coast Guard have been placed on standby, but adverse weather is currently preventing aircraft operations; airlifting will begin once conditions improve.
Has any loss of life been reported in the Gujarat floods?
One drowning death has been reported in Tapi district. No other fatalities have been confirmed across the affected areas of Valsad, Surat, and Navsari as of the 24 July briefing.
What has the Central government said about the Gujarat flood situation?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah both called Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to seek updates and assured full Central government support for rescue, relief, evacuation, and public safety measures. Shah separately assured all necessary assistance during a conversation relayed at the SEOC review meeting.
