Ahmedabad, Sep 10 (IANS): More than 300,000 people have been badly hit as flood waters entered more than 1,000 residential societies and colonies in Gujarat's Vadodara city, officials and residents said Wednesday.

With heavy rains lashing Vadodara since Tuesday, police and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are busy rescuing the marooned and shifting them to safer areas.

Roads in and around Vadodara city have been submerged, virtually crippling traffic.

Water from the overflowing Vishvamitri river, which passes through the city, have entered the Sayaji Hospital, forcing authorities to move its patients elsewhere.

The Sayaji Baug Zoo is under four feet of water. But authorities managed to shift the animals to safer places.

All schools and colleges in Vadodara have been ordered shut.

Residents told IANS that the floods were comparable to the 2005 disaster which too caused havoc in Vadodara, the third largest city in Gujarat after Surat and Ahmedabad.

The Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam in neighbouring Bharuch district was overflowing by three metres. The Vishvamitri river was flowing above the danger mark.

Relief and rescue operations have been launched, officials said, adding security forces were distributing food and medicines to the needy.

The army has been asked to stand by in Vadodara. The weatherman has said that heavy rains are likely to continue in Gujarat.