In Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district, at least 37 passengers, including 29 from Tamil Nadu, were rescued after their tourist bus became stuck on a flooded road during heavy rain. The incident occurred near Koliyak village, where the bus got stranded on a causeway.
According to police, the bus driver attempted to cross the submerged road despite the rising floodwaters. However, the force of the water caused the front of the bus to dip into the river while the rear remained stuck on the raised path.
District collector RK Mehta explained that rescuers arrived in a mini-truck and helped transfer passengers, drivers and the cleaner from the bus through its rear window. Unfortunately, the mini-truck also became stranded shortly after the rescue.
A larger truck was sent to the site to complete the operation, and all were safely transported. The rescue took nearly eight hours. By 3 AM, the passengers were brought to safety. They were provided with accommodation, food, and medical check-ups in Bhavnagar.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Gujarat, predicting extremely heavy rainfall. The weather bulletin warned of continued heavy rainfall over the region, including Saurashtra and Kutch, in the following days.
Alert in other states
The IMD has forecast rain in several parts of Rajasthan from September 27, with the wet weather expected to last until September 29. Light to moderate showers, along with thunderstorms, are predicted in regions like Udaipur, Kota, Jaipur, Ajmer, Bharatpur and Jodhpur.
Meanwhile, Sikkim has experienced heavy rainfall over the past three days, leading to multiple landslides and major damage to the old Rang-Rang bridge, a key route to the northern part of the state.
Heavy rain has continued in Odisha due to a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal. This weather pattern is expected to persist until Friday. Normal life has been disrupted in many areas. Authorities in Puri district have closed all schools to ensure student safety.
