Vadodara Vishwamitri water level, Gujarat flood: Power cut, water entered houses and hotels, thousands trapped in Vadodara amid milk and drinking water crisis: Vadodara Vishwamitri river overflows, thousands trapped in hotels, hostels and homes facing milk water problem

Ahmedabad/Vadodara: The situation has gone out of control in Gujarat due to heavy rains and release of water from the dam. Due to the swollen Vishwamitri river in Vadodara, more than a dozen areas of the city were inundated with four to eight feet of water. Due to this, people are facing enormous difficulties. Students of Maharaja Sayajirao University, located in the heart of Vadodara, are stuck in private rooms, while there is a food crisis in hotels and other societies near the railway station. The danger mark of the Vishwamitri river, which originates in central Vadodara, is 25 feet, but the river is flowing above the danger mark following heavy rains in Vadodara and surrounding districts.

The situation has worsened since Tuesday morning.
The situation has worsened following the release of water from the Ajwa dam into the Vishwamitri river passing through Vadodara. The river crossed the danger mark on Tuesday. Following this, basements and first floors of hotels and other commercial buildings located in more than a dozen areas of Vadodara including Sayajiganj, Pratapganj, Sama including Akshar Chowk, Muz Mahuda, Akota Bridge, Kala Ghoda Circle and Railway Station were affected by floods. Following heavy rainfall and waterlogging in Vadodara, the administration evacuated more than 3,000 people to safe places for rescue. Vadodara has received heavy rainfall in the last three days.

Why did the situation in Vadodara worsen?
The Vishwamitri river in Vadodara reached its maximum level of 35.25 feet on Tuesday evening. The danger mark of the river is at 25 feet. Vadodara Collector Bijal Shah said earlier in the day that the local administration has evacuated over 3,000 people from low-lying areas to safer places as a precautionary measure. The water level of the river continued to rise on Tuesday evening and in many areas it crossed the 40-foot mark. Following this, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has decided to close the sluice gates of the Ajwa and Pratappura reservoirs to reduce waterlogging. Dr Sheetal Mistry, chairman of the VMC Standing Committee, said that in the upper areas, there is less rainfall. There is a need to provide essential services to the people and carry out rescue operations. Therefore, we have decided to close the gates of 213.65 feet of Ajwa and 230.20 feet of Pratappura.