Army helicopters have been pressed into emergency service and over 5,000 people have been evacuated as the Saurashtra region in Gujarat continued to be lashed by heavy rains. Lakhtar in Surendranagar district has recorded over 35 inches of rainfall in the last 24 hours paralysing all life. At least 20 people were rescued in various relief operations here. Surendranagar district in the Saurashtra area which received incessant rains, has forced the district administration to seek help of Army helicopters for rescue operations, district officials said here on Thursday.