Monday, July 31 2006 12:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: Situation in the rain-battered south and central Gujarat is improving with receding rains and rail and road traffic opening up today, amidst reports of people and school children stranded at some places due to water-logging, official sources said.

"Some school children were stranded in a village school due to water logging near Dholka in Ahmedabad district,"officials said.

An Ahmedabad fire brigade team comprising 21 members have rushed to the spot to rescue the stranded, fire brigade officials said.

In another incident, around 80 students and five staff members were stranded on the second floor of a boarding school in Bhattalavdi village of Khambhat taluka in South Gujarat. Officials were trying to rescue them by boats.

Meanwhile, state flood control sources said intensity of rains has receded since last night.

"More than 50,000 people from south and central Gujarat have been shifted to safer places as a precautionary measure," officials said.

"Rail and road traffic was returning to normal but trains are still running late by three to four hours," railway officials said.