Two dead in Gujarat as coastal areas in Saurashtra worst hit by heavy rains
Nearly 600 people from Junagadh and 50 from Porbandar city were relocated from low-lying areas
3 min read
Gujarat’s Junagadh and Porbandar were the worst-hit districts by heavy rains on Wednesday, reporting one death each (Representational Image/File photo)Gujarat’s Junagadh and Porbandar were the worst-hit districts by heavy rains on Wednesday, reporting one death each. Nearly 600 people from Junagadh and 50 from Porbandar city were relocated from low-lying areas.
Junagadh’s Mendarda, Keshod, and Vanthali talukas recorded 331 mm (13 inches), 278 mm (10.94 inches) and 258 mm (10.16 inches) rainfall each between 6 am and 4 pm on Wednesday. Mendarda taluka of Junagadh district received 10 of its inches in just 4 hours from 6 am to 10 am.
Porbandar, Navsari and Valsad were also lashed by heavy rains.
Anjuben, a migrant farm labourer in her teens from Madhya Pradesh died of a lightning strike in Kutiyana taluka of Porbandar’s Amar village at the farmland, while Akshay Kanubhai Maru (25) from Samega village in Junagadh’s Manavadar taluka also died due to a lightning strike on Wednesday.
Porbandar taluka received 250 mm (9.84 inches) rainfall followed by Gandevi in Navsari with 213 mm, Manavadar in Junagadh with 205 mm, Chikhli in Navsari with 183 mm, Kutiyana in Porbandar with 176 mm, Kaprada in Valsad with 167 mm, and Ranavav in Porbandar with 163 mm.
“Other than the deaths due to lightning, there is no rain-related casualty so far as we are on alert and prepared owing to the warning of heavy rains. Due to overflowing rivulets, 60 roads in the rural areas and 15 bus routes have been closed. Also, 600 people were relocated from the low-lying areas in the district. Schools, colleges and anganwadi centres also remained closed in the four worst affected talukas — Keshod, Manavadar, Vantahli and Mendarda,” Collector Junagadh Anil Ranavasiya told The Indian Express.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for the districts of Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Amreli and Bhavnagar for Wednesday.
S D Dhanani Collector of Porbandar told this newspaper, “Around 50 people from city areas have been relocated from the low-lying areas with a possible threat. As many as eleven panchayat roads have been closed for safety where there were already diversions due to the ongoing bridge construction work. Also, permission has been granted to school and college principals to declare a holiday as per the situation in their respective areas.”
Devbhoomi Dwarka has been put under a red alert by the IMD for Thursday.
Gujarat’s rain, dam statuses in the last 24 hours
Most areas of Gujarat, especially the coastal districts of Saurashtra, recorded heavy rain in 24 hours ending 6 am on Wednesday. Devbhoomi Dwarka district has recorded the highest average rainfall of 11 inches in the state.
Kalyanpur taluka received the highest rainfall of 10.75 inches in the state while Dwarka taluka received six inches. Porbandar taluka received four inches, Mangrol taluka got 3.74 inches, Sutrapada taluka received 3.35 inches and Jafrabad more than 3.07 inches.
About the status of the dams in the state, the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada river, currently has 26,0174 MCFT of water storage — it is 77.88 percent full. Currently, 64 dams in the state have been given a high alert, 29 dams are on alert and 21 dams are under a warning.
According to State Emergency Operation Center Gandhinagar, as on Wednesday, the total average rainfall of the season in the state is 71.31 per cent. The highest rainfall of 75 percent is recorded in the Kutch region, more than 73 per cent in South Gujarat, 72 percent in North Gujarat, 69.92 per cent in Central-East Gujarat, and the lowest rainfall of 69.06 per cent was recorded in the Saurashtra region.
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