Friday, July 1 2005 09:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: Army has been called in for assistance in three districts of Gujarat, which is reeling under torrential rains for the fifth consecutive day yesterday (Jun 30, 2005) where more than one lakh people have been evacuated even as the death toll has mounted to 56 prompting the State Government to seek central assistance.

Army was called for help in Vadodara, Surat and Anand in South Gujarat, which is facing the maximum brunt of rain fury, official sources said.

One column of army has been deployed in Vadodara and Petlad town in the same district, which is badly affected by rains.

The administration is also considering deploying Army in Karjan where several villages are affected because of heavy rains and flood like situation due to rivers swelling.

"We have evacuated over one lakh people to safer places and the disaster management team is working round the clock to help the flood affected people," the state Revenue Minister Kaushik Patel told sources.

High alert has been sounded in the low-lying areas after several rivers began overflowing in Surat, Navsari and Valsad districts of the State.

With the water levels in most of the rivers in the state crossing the danger marks and 31 dams being put on high alert, the Government is gearing up to meet any eventuality as the Meteorological department has forecast another spell of heavy showers within the next 48 hours.