A day after unseasonal rainfall along with thunderstorms struck more than 230 of the 251 talukas in Gujarat, the death toll due to lightning strikes climbed to 27 across the state Monday. According to officials, 23 people were reported to be injured and 29 houses were damaged. As per the data maintained by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), as of Monday afternoon, 71 animals also died due to lightning strikes in Gujarat. The highest number of deaths was reported from the tribal district of Dahod where four people were killed. Three deaths were reported in Banaskantha and Bharuch and two in Tapi. Dahod District Collector Harshit Gosavi told The Indian Express that six people and 10 animals died due to lightning strikes on November 26. "In all the cases of human deaths, the deceased were under trees when the lightning struck. There is no other reason why there are more numbers recorded in the district. Most of them were farmers," Gosavi said. One death each was reported from Amreli, Surendranagar, Mehsana, Botad, Panchmahal, Kheda, Sabarkantha, Ahmedabad, Surat, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Anand, and Patan. On Sunday, a majority of the districts received rainfall ranging between one mm and 144 mm accompanied by thunderstorms damaging the standing crops. Meanwhile, Rajkot and Morbi districts witnessed hailstorms, too. The state government will undertake a survey to assess the damage caused to the farmers, announced Health Minister Ruskhikesh Patel Monday. “Once the rainfall reduces, the survey work will start and as per it, compensation will be announced for the farmers. The state recorded hailstorm and lightning too, for which a decision on the compensation will be taken by the state government. Though the Chief Minister is in Japan he is in constant touch to take a stock of the situation,” Patel stated. Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid condolences to the families of the victims and said the state administration was engaged in relief work. "I am deeply saddened by the news of the death of many people due to bad weather and lightning in various cities of Gujarat. I express my deepest condolences for the irreparable loss to those who lost their loved ones in this tragedy. The local administration is engaged in relief work," Shah, in a post on X on Sunday night, said. Apart from causing damage to standing crops, the sudden showers also affected the ceramic industry in Morbi district in the Saurashtra region as factories were forced to remain shut, officials said. On Monday, 27 talukas in southern districts of Tapi, Navsari, Dang, Surat, Valsad and Chhota Udepur, along with the northern districts of Banaskantha and Sabarkantha received rainfall. Until 6 pm Monday, Kukarmunda in Tapi recorded the highest of 45 mm followed by Kaprada in Valsad 44 mm, Navsari 20 mm and Chikhli 17 mm in Navsari district. The unseasonal rains dipped the mercury levels, too. The maximum temperature recorded a dip between 2-7 degrees from the normal temperature. Surendranagar recorded 25.5 degrees Celsius - seven degrees below the normal temperature, while Bhuj and Surat saw 25.3 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius (both six degrees below normal). Amreli, Ahmedabad and Vadodara recorded 27, 26.7, and 27.8 degrees Celsius - all five degrees below normal. Other centres with major departures were Kandla at 25.4 degrees Celsius, Naliya 26.8 degrees Celsius, Rajkot 26.9 degrees Celsius, Veraval 28 degrees Celsius and Porbandar 28.8 degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department, in its latest bulletin, said the state was likely to experience dry weather from Tuesday onwards, with minimum temperatures expected to fall by four to five degrees Celsius before rising during the next five to five days. -With PTI inputs
