Gujarat Floods: Army Deploys 7 Rescue Columns, Evacuates 355 Stranded Civilians
Pune/Ahmedabad, 25th July 2026: The Indian Army, under the aegis of the Southern Command, launched Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations on the evening of July 23, 2026, in response to the flood situation caused by incessant rainfall across parts of Gujarat and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
Relief and rescue operations are continuing in close coordination with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), civil administration and other agencies to assist the affected population.
The Army has deployed seven relief and rescue columns, including engineering and medical teams, across the affected areas. At present, two columns are deployed in Navsari, one in the Valsad-Vapi region, and three in Ahmedabad, covering Ahmedabad city, Ahmedabad Rural and the Ahmedabad-Rajkot Highway. One column is operating in Silvassa in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
Additional relief and rescue columns remain on standby at key locations, including Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Jamnagar, to facilitate an immediate response to any emerging situation.
Since the commencement of the operations, Army teams have undertaken continuous rescue and relief missions in inundated and inaccessible areas, safely evacuating 355 stranded civilians so far. Rescue operations have often been carried out under challenging conditions, including the evacuation of civilians trapped for prolonged periods in flooded buildings and isolated habitations.
Medical teams have provided immediate healthcare to those requiring assistance, while relief teams have distributed food, drinking water and other essential supplies to affected residents awaiting evacuation or the restoration of normal connectivity.
The operations are being carried out in close coordination with the civil administration, NDRF, SDRF, police and other stakeholders to ensure timely rescue, relief and humanitarian assistance across the affected districts.
