Ahmedabad / 4 dead as Gujarat building collapses following heavy rain

Four people died after a residential building collapsed in central Gujarat’s Nadiad town late on Friday night following incessant rain.

Five residents of the three-storeyed Purneshwar Apartment in Nadiad’s Pragatinagar were rescued by a joint team from Kheda, Ahmedabad and Vadodara.

According to the police control room, the over 30-year-old building collapsed around midnight. Nine persons were present in the building at the time of the incident, police said.

Police said that only two of the total 10 flats in building number 26, constructed by the state housing board, were occupied as it was declared unsafe and residents were asked to vacate their flats. While eight families had moved out, two families were still residing there.

The state has received heavy to very heavy rainfall over the last 36 hours, causing swelling of rivers and increase in water levels at various reservoirs.

With more rain likely today, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has appealed to people to avoid venturing out if it is not necessary. Few private schools have also declared a holiday.

In Vadodara, the water level at Ajwa reservoir has crossed the danger mark at 212 feet and all the dam gates have been opened to release the water into Vishwamitri river, which breaching the danger mark.

Last week, a heavy downpour had caused flooding in Vadodara city throwing normal life out of gear and prompting authorities to press paramilitary, NDRF and SDRF teams into service for rescue of people from the marooned colonies of the city.

The State administration has deployed 18 teams of NDRF and 11 of SDRF at different locations including south, central and north Gujarat.