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In a rescue operation that stretched for over 10 hours, two farmers who had climbed an electric pole in a flooded part of Junagadh district of Gujarat were rescued by an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter.
Due to heavy rain, the Ojat River — flowing through Junagadh district — got flooded, forcing two farmers to climb an electric pole, stated an official release. A team of NDRF tried to rescue the stranded farmers using their boats. But the heavy flow of floodwaters prevented the rescue boats from reaching the pole.
Later, the district administration requested air support. An IAF helicopter from Jamnagar was then dispatched. The two farmers were rescued after being airlifted, the release added.
The farmers were stranded near Sutrej village of Keshod taluka after the area was inundated because of heavy rainfall, collector Anil Ranavasiya was quoted as saying by PTI. The two villagers went to their farm on Friday evening and were unable to return due to the flooding, he said. “Two persons went to their farmland last evening despite being warned by the local sarpanch. They were trapped there due to heavy rainfall and climbed an electric pole after the area got inundated,” the collector said.
He added the duo used their mobile phone to establish contact for their rescue, following which an NDRF team was roped in. “Since the area is in the interiors, the NDRF team fell short by around 200 feet of reaching them. When we realised it won’t be able to rescue them, we requested the state to airlift the stranded men,” the officer said.
Several parts of Saurashtra-Kutch and south Gujarat districts received heavy rainfall on Friday and Saturday, causing flooding in low-lying areas and inundating several villages as monsoon rivers were in spate.
The IMD also advised fishermen not to venture along or off the Arabian Sea till July 3 because of squally weather likely to prevail due to active monsoon conditions.
With inputs from PTI
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