Gujarat remains in the grip of relentless rainfall as heavy rains continue to batter the state, leading to widespread flooding and significant displacement. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in various regions, warning of more downpours in the coming days. The ongoing floods have already claimed the lives of at least 40 people and displaced over 55,000 individuals across 25 districts since August 25.
The IMD has sounded the alarm for severe weather, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy falls in areas such as Chhotaudepur, Narmada, Surat, and Tapi. The red alert indicates a high likelihood of hazardous weather conditions that could exacerbate the current situation. Additionally, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in Banaskantha, Panchmahal, Dahod, Vadodara, Bharuch, Dangs, Navsari, Valsad, and Tapi, while isolated heavy rains are anticipated in Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Aravalli, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Anand, Mahisagar, Amreli, and Bhavnagar.
The IMD has also warned of the possibility of thunderstorms with lightning and gusty surface winds reaching speeds of 30-40 km/h in certain parts of Gujarat. The heavy rainfall is expected to persist over the next few days, with Bharuch and Surat likely to experience further downpours on Thursday. Other areas, including Banaskantha, Navsari, Valsad, Kutch, and the union territories of Daman and Dadra Nagar Haveli, may also face heavy rainfall.
Several dams and reservoirs, such as the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River, are nearing or have reached full capacity due to the continuous rainfall. This has raised concerns about potential overflows and further flooding. In response, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been deployed to assist with rescue and relief operations in the affected regions.
The IMD reported that the depression, a remnant of Cyclonic Storm Asna, over the northwest Arabian Sea has moved south-southwestwards and weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area. This system is expected to continue weakening and is not anticipated to significantly impact the ongoing heavy rainfall in Gujarat. However, the active southwest monsoon trough and the offshore trough along the south Gujarat to north Kerala coast are contributing to the state’s persistent wet weather.
Fishermen have been advised to avoid venturing into the sea until Thursday due to the rough weather conditions, which pose significant risks to maritime activities.
On Monday, various districts in Gujarat recorded substantial rainfall. Songadh in the Tapi district experienced the highest rainfall with 218 mm (8.58 inches), followed by Vaghai in the Dangs district with 194 mm (7.64 inches) and Vansada in Navsari district with 166 mm (6.54 inches). In Bharuch, a sudden downpour of 120 mm occurred within two hours, despite no rainfall being recorded until 2 pm. Ahmedabad received 22 mm of rain, while Surat recorded 8 mm. The heavy rains have also led to widespread disruptions in electricity in several areas.
Sources By Agencies