The Indian Coast Guard has rescued 170 people stranded in flood-affected areas of Daman, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and South Gujarat through 11 rescue operations conducted since the night of July 22, as heavy rainfall and severe flooding continued to disrupt normal life.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the rescue missions were carried out in close coordination with the civil administration under challenging weather conditions, including incessant rain, strong currents and widespread inundation.
The operations began on the night of July 22–23 with the rescue of five people stranded in Khanvel, Silvassa, followed by the evacuation of three fishermen trapped along the flooded riverbank in the Kadaiya coastal area.
One of the largest operations took place during the night of July 23–24, when Coast Guard teams rescued 60 people stranded at the flood-hit Welspun Industrial Area after road connectivity was completely cut off.
Other rescue missions included evacuating seven people from a bus stranded in floodwaters,rescuing ten people from Dongri, airlifting four stranded people from the Valsad–Pardi area by helicopter, and evacuating eight people overnight from the Reliance Industries area.
In another major operation, the Coast Guard rescued ten people from the Avadh Society area, including a woman who was nine months pregnant and another suffering from respiratory distress. Both were provided timely access to medical care.
On July 24, two Indian Coast Guard helicopters airlifted 33 stranded residents from Mendar village in Gujarat’s Navsari district. Among them was a person experiencing severe chest pain who received urgent medical assistance.
Despite adverse weather and hazardous operating conditions, Coast Guard personnel continued rescue operations without interruption, the ministry said, reaffirming the force’s motto, Vayam Rakshamah (“We Protect”).
The Indian Coast Guard said it remains on high operational readiness and will continue to assist the civil administration in responding to any further emergencies arising from the ongoing flood situation.
