Biparjoy: 39 people trapped in Rajasthan flood rescued

Jaipur, June 19 (IANS) The SDRF team rescued 39 civilians stranded in flood-affected Od Basti of Bhinmal town of Jalore district in the wake of cyclone Biparjoy, and took them to safe places.

As per the instructions of SDRF Additional Director General of Police Alok Kumar Vashisht and Commandant Raj Kumar Gupta, the team reached the spot with equipment and helped people to get in safer locations, said Commandant Rajkumar Gupta adding that on Sunday morning at 10:50 a.m., on receiving information from Police Control Room Jalore and other offices for disaster relief and rescue work, rescue team in-charge along with a team of 10 jawans and disaster relief equipment left for the spot. The team commander took stock of the situation after reaching the spot at 11:20 a.m.

Due to heavy rains from Saturday night till morning due to Biparjoy storm, the water of Nimbali pond located near Jaswantpura railway crossing in Bhinmal town of Jalore district entered Od township and the entire township got submerged. The pond has overflowed.

About 40 people were trapped in Od Basti, which included mostly children and women. To reach the settlement, the team had to cross a pond 20 to 30 feet deep and 300 meters long.

On the instructions of the team commander, the rescue team personnel started the rescue operation. The rescue team first crossed the overflowing pond and reached the township with the help of a motor boat and took out the trapped people from the flooded area wearing life jackets.

By 1 p.m., the SDRF rescue team along with the NDRF team made several trips by motor boat and rescued a total of 39 citizens trapped in Od Basti to safe places, including 11 children, 20 women and eight men.