Floods bring Indian Diamond City to a Standstill

Surat, India’s premier diamond manufacturing center, has been reeling from the effect of unprecedented heavy rainfall over the last couple of days. The situation worsened this morning following the release of 925,000 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water from the nearby Ukai dam reservoir. The reservoir flows into the Tapi River, which flows through the diamond and textile manufacturing hub.

Vast areas of the city, including many of the diamond manufacturing centers have been submerged, with the water levels surpassing 10ft in the worst affected localities on the banks of the river.

The floods, reportedly the worst in the last 15 years, have dislocated communications. Most telephone lines are down and road and rail traffic to the city has been affected. According to media reports, the power distribution network largely controlled by Torrent Power SEC Ltd, has been disrupted, and supply to large parts of the city has been temporarily discontinued as a precaution.

More than 200,000 people have already been evacuated from the low-lying areas, and government officials have said that the situation could worsen if the rainfall in the catchment area of the dam continues.

Industry sources report that the cutting and polishing units are closed. At the present moment, it is difficult to assess the damage that may have been caused and its impact on the industry. A clearer picture is likely to emerge once the communication links are restored.