Rajasthan floods: Army deployed for rescue in Kota, schools shut

Jaipur, Aug 22 (IANS) Heavy rains have triggered a flood-like situation in Rajasthan’s Kota, severely impacting both urban and rural areas on Friday.

The situation worsened in the rural Digod area, prompting the deployment of Army personnel for rescue operations. They evacuated residents from waterlogged areas and distributed essential food supplies.

In Nimoda village, several kutcha houses collapsed, with Army teams conducting rescue efforts late into the night.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Energy Minister Hiralal Nagar visited the flood-affected areas. Birla arrived in an Army truck to reach Digod, Nimoda, and Hariji villages, where he assessed the ground situation.

Overflowing ponds in Amarpura and Khedli Kalya led to water entering homes. Rescue teams carried children and the elderly to safety. Floodwater also breached the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway near Neemli village, causing significant disruption.

In response to the heavy rain alert, the district administration has announced school closures for August 23.

Kota has recorded 969.5 mm of rainfall so far, including 127.1 mm in the past 24 hours. Due to waterlogging, nine major roads in the district have been closed.

Speaker Om Birla has directed the district administration to evacuate residents from high-risk areas and ensure proper food arrangements. He emphasised setting up temporary shelters for displaced families as a priority.

He also instructed the district collector to conduct a detailed damage assessment survey, covering losses to crops, livestock, homes, and shops. He also urged social workers to mobilise public cooperation for providing rations and temporary housing to the victims.

“Providing all possible help to affected citizens is our top priority. In this hour of crisis, the administration and public representatives stand with every family,” he claimed.

--IANS

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