Monsoon brings heavy blow to Gujarat: One death in Amreli; over 130 people rescued in 24 hours

The season’s first showers caused a heavy blow to various districts of Saurashtra. The rainfall, which started on Monday morning, continued through the night, till the next morning. As Southwest Monsoon has further advanced over some more parts of North Arabian Sea and Gujarat, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday: “Conditions are favourable for further advance of Southwest monsoon over remaining parts of North Arabian Sea and Gujarat; some parts of Rajasthan; some more parts of Madhya Pradesh; remaining parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand & Bihar and some parts of East Uttar Pradesh during next 2 days.”

Gujarat is expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall till June 23.

The heavy rainfall, as per the weather department, is being caused by a low pressure area over Gujarat region and neighbourhood with the associated upper air cyclonic circulation along with trough form cyclonic circulation associated with low pressure area over Gujarat region and neighbourhood to Jharkhand across Madhya Pradesh and north Chhattisgarh

Till 6pm on Tuesday, 195 out of the 251 talukas in the state received rainfall. As per the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) data, Botad, Surendranagar, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar-all Saurashtra districts recorded the maximum rainfall. Barwala in Botad recorded the highest of 178 mm followed by Sayla in Surendranagar 160 mm, Botad 138 mm, Muli and Thangadh in Surendranagar receiving 135 mm and 121 mm, respectively. Jodiya in Jamnagar received 111 mm of rainfall till Tuesday 6 pm.

As per the disaster management department of Bhavnagar district, till Tuesday afternoon, Sihor received 446 mm of rainfall, followed by Umrada at 395 mm, Vallabhipur 314 mm, Jesar 275 mm, Mahuva 247 mm, Palitana 238 mm, Gadiyadhar 171 mm, Talaja 159 mm, Bhavnagar city 145 mm, and Gogha at 100 mm.

Amreli also witnessed heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours. Savarkundla recorded 271 mm of rainfall, followed by Rajula at 206 mm, Babara 192 mm, Amreli town 189 mm, Liliya 178 mm, Khambha 168 mm, Lathi 91 mm, Bagasara 74 mm, and Dhari and Jafrabad at 50 mm.

Sources in the disaster management department in Amreli district said that one Vhagwan Lakhbhai Vagh (62), a resident of Rajparda village, was in his car on Tuesday morning, when the vehicle was trapped and subsequently washed away by the Jolapuri river, which had its water level gone up. Vagh’s body was later recovered by the villagers. District administration officials reached the village and recovered his car. The body was sent to a government hospital for a post-mortem examination. Sources said that different talukas of Amreli district also reported deaths of 26 animals due to rain-related incidents. A total of 72 people were rescued in various villages of the district in the last 24 hours, including five on Tuesday morning from Koba village in Savarkundla taluka.

Fishermen in Bharuch were asked not to venture into the sea, and people were also warned not to step out of their houses unless necessary. However, both on Monday and Tuesday, Bharuch witnessed only moderate rainfall, as per the district’s disaster management department.

Talking to The Indian Express, Bharuch Collector Gaurang Makwana said, “We have been well-prepared for the situation, and the weather department had sounded a red alert. Those fishermen who were in the sea and river had been called back, and they safely reached home. We have put plans in place, and all officials are on alert mode. We are constantly monitoring the situation. A liaison officer has been deputed in all talukas of the district who are in constant touch with the disaster management control room. JCB machines and wood cutters were also arranged. We asked people not to step out of their homes unnecessarily.”

Orange alert

For Wednesday, the IMD has issued an ‘orange alert’, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall in the districts of Aravalli, Dahod, Mahisagar Dang, Navsari, Valsad, Porbandar, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Gir Somnath. Heavy rainfall is also likely at isolated places in Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Anand, Panchmahal, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat and Tapi, Surendranagar, Rajkot and Botad.

Light thunderstorms with lightning and surface wind at 30-40 kmph is expected across Gujarat on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Thursday, Surat, Dang, Navsari, Valsad are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rain along with Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Dahod, Mahisagar, Bharuch and Tapi, Rajkot, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Gir Somnath.

As per the IMD forecast, heavy rainfall is likely in Dang, Navsari, Valsad on Friday and in Aravalli, Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar, Vadodara, Bharuch, Surat, Dang, Navsari, Valsad on Saturday.

The IMD has also issued an ‘orange alert’ for June 22 and 23. On June 22, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Dahod and Mahisagar and heavy rainfall in Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Gandhinagar, Kheda, Panchmahal, Vadodara, Bharuch, Surat, Dang, Navsari, Valsad, Rajkot, Porbandar, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Gir Somnath.