By IANS
Jaipur : The army was called in Saturday for rescue operations in Rajasthan after a dam in Jodhpur district breached following heavy rains, threatening several villages with inundation and forcing temporary closure of the Jaipur-Jodhpur highway, leaving many stranded.
A portion of the 118-year-old Jaswant Sagar Dam in Jodhpur district, 340 km from here, breached Friday night after being fed by swollen rivers.
“We have started evacuating 59 villages in low lying areas of Pali and Barmer district as there is danger of them getting submerged,” C.K. Mathew, Rajasthan’s relief secretary, said in statement.
“We have identified places where these villagers would be taken and have put in place a plan to provide them food and shelter,” Mathew said.
He said the army’s help was being sought for the evacuation and three helicopters had been kept ready.
Earlier, soldiers had tried to control the breach in the dam by piling up sand bags. However, it did not work and villagers living nearby were asked to move to higher places.
According to reports, over 10 villages are submerged in six-feet water in Bilara area of Jodhpur, while the dam breach has caused the water level of Luni river to rise alarmingly, forcing the authorities to proclaim a high alert in Sojat and Balotra towns.
Sojat in Pali district is famous for its ‘mehendi’ (henna) while Balotra in Barmer is known for its textile dyeing and printing.
“Though water has so far not entered any of the residential areas in Barmer district, we are closely monitoring the situation”, Subir Kumar, Barmer collector, told IANS on telephone.
The administration has stopped traffic on the Jaipur-Jodhpur highway. Around 30 buses ply on this route every day. The Northern Railways has cancelled or diverted several trains passing through the area.
“There is some water on the highway near Bilara,” a district official said.
Pali, Sirohi and other nearby areas received heavy rainfall in the last few days. Life has been thrown out of gear in Pali district, which has recorded 357 mm rain in the last few days, the highest in 24 years.
While local media reports said at least three people have died in rain-related incidents, there is no official confirmation. Of the 227 small and big dams in Rajasthan, 28 are full and 131 partially full in the wake of heavy rains.
The desert district of Barmer was hit by one of the worst flash floods in August last year. Over 104 people lost their lives and thousands were marooned.
The Thar Express that runs between Jodhpur and Munnabao has been suspended following water logging in Balotra rail section, said a railway official Saturday, adding the situation would be reviewed later.