Gujarat Floods: 38,000 Displaced as Army and NDRF Launch Rescue Operations
Relentless rains continued to batter Gujarat for the third consecutive day on Friday (July 24, 2026), cutting off dozens of villages and disrupting normal life. Officials reported that 38,000 people have been relocated to safer places and over 352 have been rescued.
Several south Gujarat districts, including Valsad, Navsari, Surat, Ahmedabad, and Kheda, recorded extremely heavy rainfall, with some areas receiving over 400 mm in 24 hours. Fresh spells of rain also lashed Vav-Tharad, Amreli, and Kheda districts since morning, keeping the administration on alert.
“As many as 38,000 people have been relocated so far, primarily from Navsari and Valsad districts. Most have moved to relatives’ homes, while approximately 2,000 have been shifted to shelter homes. A total of 352 people have been rescued so far,” said Relief Commissioner Gaurang Makwana. He confirmed one death in Tapi district and said more information was being collected.
Four teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), airlifted from Odisha, have been deployed to Valsad and Navsari, with one team kept on standby in Surat. Two Army columns have reached the affected districts, and two additional teams are being dispatched. “Depending on the evolving situation, further teams will be deployed,” Mr. Makwana added.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), Mehmedabad in Kheda received 507 mm of rain in 24 hours, followed by Dholka in Ahmedabad (473 mm), Chikhli in Navsari (451 mm), Umbergaon in Valsad (434 mm), and Khergam in Navsari (434 mm). As many as 35 talukas in the state recorded over 200 mm of rain during this period.
In the four hours from 6 a.m. on Friday, Deodar in Vav-Tharad district received 153 mm, and Mehmedabad in Kheda received 129 mm. Patan, Amreli, and Banaskantha also experienced fresh rainfall.
Thousands of flood-affected people in Valsad, Navsari, Ahmedabad, Kheda, and Dangs were being shifted to safer places, with rescue operations ongoing. The Army, NDRF, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and Coast Guard have been deployed. Army columns of the Golden Kartar Division rescued stranded civilians and provided essential aid, according to the PRO Defence Gujarat.
Rivers such as Ambika in Tapi district, and Par, Auranga, and Daman Ganga were overflowing, inundating low-lying areas. In Ahmedabad, heavy downpours caused road blockages and forced the closure of a dozen underpasses. The state government declared a holiday for schools and colleges in rain-affected districts. Five trains towards Mumbai were cancelled on Friday due to waterlogging on railway routes.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has instructed the administration to remain on high alert. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi visited Valsad district, where Umbergaon taluka recorded over 1,300 mm of rain in two days. He was informed that about 12,376 people had been evacuated. The state government has deployed 17 high-ranking officers in Valsad to manage the situation.
