High velocity winds pulled a surprise in several corners of the state, even as 36 talukas—majorly in Saurashtra and Kutch—and Ahmedabad experienced rainfall activity on Thursday, the weather department said.
Rajkot and Bhesan in Junagadh recorded the highest rainfall at 35 mm each; Bagasara in Amreli and Dhoraji in Rajkot recorded 22 mm and 20 mm, respectively.
Ahmedabad, too, woke up to gusty winds. Towards the evening, light showers were reported, contributing to a sharp decline in temperatures.
The strong winds led to several incidents of trees and electricity poles falling on four wheelers and three wheelers. At Manzoor Gam near Gitanandir, two people were injured after an electric pole collapsed on an auto rickshaw. Civic authorities ruled out any casualties due to these incidents.
Nearly 20 complaints of uprooting and falling of tree branches were reported in the city, as stated by its municipal corporation’s control room. Most such incidents were reported in the North-West zone.
As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the shift in weather, amid heatwave conditions, were due to an upper air cyclonic circulation over west Rajasthan along with a western disturbance as an upper air cyclonic circulation over north Pakistan with a trough.
The weather department has issued a warning of light to moderate thunderstorm with rain and lightning, and surface winds of 50-60 kmph gusting up to 70 kmph, for the districts of Banaskantha, Sabarkantha and Patan, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Amreli, Morbi, Gir Somnath, and Kutch till Friday
Isolated hail activity is also likely at these locations.
Similar warnings have also been issued for Mehsana, Gandhinagar, Aravalli, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Anand, Panchmahal, Dahod and Mahisagar, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, Dang, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad, Surendranagar, Porbandar, Bhavnagar, Dwarka and Botad.
Isolated heavy rainfall was very likely in Saurashtra’s Dwarka and Porbandar and Kutch, the IMD warned.
On Thursday, the highest maximum temperature of 37.5 degrees Celsius was recorded in Rajkot, and the lowest minimum temperature of 18.6 degrees Celsius at Naliya.
While the maximum temperatures were below normal in the South Gujarat region, mercury rose to above normal in parts of Kutch and some parts of Saurashtra and normal in the rest of the region, the IMD observed. While minimum temperatures rose appreciably in parts of Saurashtra and Kutch, no large changes were observed in the rest of the region.
Vadodara and Ahmedabad saw mercury rise to 35.2 degrees Celsius. Surendranagar recorded 34.8, Gandhinagar 34.6, Bhavnagar and Surat 33.8, Keshod 33.5, Kandla Port 32.6, Bhuj 31.8, Deesa 31.6, and Dwarka 30.4 degrees Celsius.
Advisory for farmers
In the wake of the weather change, the state agriculture department issued a special advisory suggesting precautionary measures to protect standing crops from damage. Farmers were being informed about the precautions through the Krishi Pragati mobile application and social media, officials said.
For more information, farmers have been asked to contact their local area gram sevak, extension officer or taluka agriculture officer. The Kisan Call Center can be reached at 1800 180 1551 (toll-free).
A man trying to hold an umbrella during strong wind and rain in Kutch. (Source: Express Archives) 
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