Flood alert as monsoon rains kill 15 in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD, India, Monday (AFP) India's western state of Gujarat was on flood alert Saturday after two days of lashing monsoon rains that killed at least 15 people, officials said, adding however the rains were beginning to ease.

"We have alerted all district ... officials in Gujarat to be prepared for flooding and start evacuating people from the low lying areas," said Rajesh Kishore, head of Gujarat's disaster management authority.

A state weather official said, however, the worst of the storm was over.

"The weather system has moved towards the northeast. The rains in Gujarat will stop now," the official said.

Flooding, however, continued to be of concern as rains were still pounding states bordering Gujarat. Anil Mukim, municipal official of the state's commercial hub Ahmedabad, warned that waters had been released from the Dharoi dam into the Sabarmati river which passes through the city.