Heavy downpour wreaked havoc in Mount Abu, Rajasthan’s only hill station in the Aravallis. After a major landslide blocked the roads leading to Mount Abu, over 2,000 tourists were trapped at the hill station, in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. The state disaster management team immediately rushed to rescue the stranded tourists on Mount Abu Road.
150 tourists from nearby states, especially Gujarat were trapped in Rebariyon ka Goliya in Sirohi district of Rajasthan. The situation turned worse after the floods blocked connectivity to Ambaji and Palanpur regions. A segment of the safety wall of the lake collapsed on Tuesday, resulting in accumulation of water near the lake.
In last one week, torrential rains have hampered boating and tourist activities around the lake. Therefore, the authorities had to suspend all recreational activities in that area. Surprisingly, the city received 72 inches rain in last 73 hours.
About 140 tourists were stranded in a village at the Pawapuri pilgrim spot, cut off from rest of the world. The villagers helped the tourists with an open heart, putting forth a commendable example of humanity, care, and consideration. After the incident was reported to the administration, they sent teams to rescue the tourists. About 800 stranded travelers were relieved in the Sirohi district and total 2000 people were rescued from Mount Abu this week.
However, situations remain tense due to abnormal rainfall in not just Sirohi, but Barmer, Pali, and Jalore as well. The roads are disrupted due to t water logging and the water level at local water bodies continued to rise, as noted yesterday. Much needs to be done to address this situation.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, CM Vasundhara Raje issued instructions for speedy rescue operations. The government closed down schools in Jalore and Barmer and dispatched rescue teams wherever required.
Number of People Rescued in Various Districts
- Jalore: 22 people, 19 animals rescued
- Sirohi: 140 people rescued in last 3 days
- Pali: 153 people
- Rajsamand: 3
- Barmer: 43
Both state and the NDRF teams have joined hands to resolve this situation. The state had employed army officers and helicopters for this task. The CM also issued instructions to prevent the outbreak of the epidemic. Camps were set up at various locations to provide food and ration to the stranded individuas. While it isn’t possible to control rainfall, preventive measures and rescue operations run by the government will help resolve this situation to some extent.
