Two die of lightning as heavy rain lashes Gujarat; red alert for Devbhoomi Dwarka

Nearly 600 people from Junagadh and 50 from Porbandar, the worst affected districts in the state, have been relocated from low-lying areas.

Junagadh’s Mendarda, Keshod, Vanthali talukas recorded 331 mm (13 inch), 278 mm (10.94 inches) and 258 mm (10.16 inches) rainfall respectively during the 10-year period from 6 am Wednesday.

Mendarda taluka of Junagadh district received 10 inches of rainfall during the period.

Between 6 am till 8 pm on Wednesday, Porbandar taluka received 256 mm (10.08 inch) rainfall followed by Gandevi in Navsari 234 mm, Manavadar in Junagadh 206 mm, Chikhli in Navsari 193 mm, Kutiyana in Porbandar 176 mm, Kaprada in Valsad 173 mm, Ranavav in Porbandar 170 mm, Dolvan in Tapi 163 mm, Khergam in Navsari 135 mm, Mangrol in Junagadh 133 mm, Talala in Gir Somnath 128 mm, Jalapore in Navsari 127 mm, Navsari 126 mm, Kalavad in Jamnagar 125 mm and Maliya Hatina in Junagadh 120 mm.

Heavy rain also lashed Navsari and Valsad districts.

Anjuben, a migrant farm labourer from Madhya Pradesh, died after allegedly being struck by lightning at Amar village in Kutiyana taluka of Porbandar district. Another person, Akshay Kanubhai Maru, 25, died after allegedly being struck by lightning at Samega village in Junagadh’s Manavadar taluka.

“Other than the death due to lightning, there is no rain-related casualty so far in Junagadh district. As many as 36 people were shifted from low-lying areas. Due to overflowing rivulets, around 60 roads in the rural areas and 15 bus routes have been closed. Also, 600 people have been relocated from the low-lying areas in the district. Schools, colleges and anganwadis also remained closed in the four worst affected talukas – Keshod, Manavadar, Vantahli and Mendarda,” Junagadh Collector Anil Ranavasiya told ‘The Indian Express’.

In a rescue operation by the NDRF in Junagadh, 12 people were evacuated after information received from the office of Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Keshod, that 10-15 persons were trapped at low-lying areas in Manekwada village. Accordingly, the team of 6 BN NDRF evacuated 12 persons – 4 men and 3 women and five children.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Amreli and Bhavnagar for Wednesday.

Porbandar District Collector S D Dhanani said, “Around 50 people have been relocated from the low-lying areas of Porbandar. As many as eleven panchayat roads have been closed. Also, permission has been granted to school and college principals to declare holiday as per the situation in the respective areas.”

Last 24 hours

Most areas of Gujarat, especially the coastal districts of Saurashtra, recorded heavy rainfall during the last 24 hours ending 6 am Wednesday. Devbhoomi Dwarka district has recorded the highest average rainfall of 11 inches.

Kalyanpur taluka received the highest rainfall of 10.75 inches while Dwarka taluka received 6 inches.

Porbandar taluka received 4 inch, Mangrol taluka 3.74 inch, Sutrapada taluka received 3.35 inch and Jafrabad 3.07 inches rainfall.

The Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River currently has 26,0174 MCFT of water storage, 77.88 per cent full. Currently, 64 dams in the state are under ‘high alert’, 29 dams ‘on alert’ and 21 dams are ‘under 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 per cent was recorded in the Kutch region, more than 73 per cent in South Gujarat, 72 per cent in the North Gujarat, 69.92 per cent in the Central-East Gujarat and the lowest rainfall of 69.06 per cent was recorded in the Saurashtra region.