RAJASTHAN –TORRENTIAL RAINFALL

RAJASTHAN –TORRENTIAL RAINFALL

(Rajasthan rains: army called in as toll rises to 33)

Rajasthan, which had a rainfall deficit of 29.69 per cent on August 9 and was fearing a drought, has now received 4.89 per cent above normal rainfall after over two days of downpour, officials said. An elderly couple was killed after a wall collapsed on them in Churu, two others died in Sawaimadhopur and one each in Bharatpur and Ajmer, taking the death toll to 33, officials said. The civil administration in Sikar, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Dholpur, Bharatpur, Karoli and Dausa was struggling to provide relief with many low-lying areas in these districts as well as in Jaipur facing waterlogging. Various colonies and towns have been submerged and thousands of people have been shifted to relief camps and other safer places.
 
Low-lying areas in Jaipur, Laxmangarh and Nawalgarh town in Sikar district and Sikar city, few villages near Chambal river in Dholpur district faced the brunt of the rainfall. Army assistance was provided for rescue operations in Jaipur and Sikar district, defence spokesperson S D Goswami said. Goswami said that relief columns were rushed to Sikar. These comprise of troops trained in execution of all types of rescue and relief tasks in areas facing flood or flood-like situation, along with the requisite equipment, medical team and other support elements of the Army.

The Rajasthan government has asked the central team, which was scheduled to arrive here to assess the drought situation, to postpone their visit for some time because of the heavy rains, they said. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has raised the compensation amount for the kin of those killed from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs two lakh.
While 10 persons have died in Jaipur, four were killed in Sikar. In Bhilwar and Churu, the toll was three each while it was two each in Bharatpurm, Dausa, Sawaimadhopur, Alwar and Dholpur. One person each in Tonk, Jhunjunu and Ajmer was also killed in rain related incidents. While 23 of the victims had drowned, two were electrocuted; one was killed by lightning and seven in various wall collapse incidents. 

Prof. John Kurakar