Excess rainfall in Gujarat in March, April highest in 15 yrs: IMD

“What Saurashtra and Kutch have recorded as pre-monsoon activity is more than double than the entire remaining parts of Gujarat together,” Mohanty told The Indian Express.

Mohanty attributed the active pre-monsoon activity to the moisture formation in the Arabian Sea and the convergence from Rajasthan. “The districts of Saurashtra and Kutch are getting excess rainfall as these parts are getting a lot of moisture from the surrounding Arabian Sea.

Also, the cyclonic circulation over Rajasthan has brought rainfall in these parts,” she added.

According to data from the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), Gandhinagar, between April 30 and May 1, Tapi, Surat, Kheda, Mehsana, Botad, Surendranagar and Patan recorded only 20-10 mm rainfall. Other parts, too, received little rainfall.

However, from May 1, the rainfall activity increased and concentrated in Saurashtra and Kutch. Dhari in Amreli recorded 63 mm, Savarkundla 36 mm and Amreli taluka 18 mm rainfall. Other districts of Saurashtra, including Botad, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Rajkot and Bhavnagar, too, received rainfall between 31-10 mm as more than 20 talukas across the state recorded very light spells.

Between May 2 and 3 again, Khambha in Amreli recorded the highest rainfall at 27 mm. Other districts of Saurashtra that recorded the rainfall were Junagadh, Rajkot, Surendranagar and Botad. Anjar in Kutch recorded 12 mm of rainfall. Around 40 talukas across the state recorded rainfall.

Similarly, within a single day until May 4 morning, Shihor in Bhavnagar, along with the districts of Junagadh, Amreli, Rajkot and Kutch, received a good spell of rainfall between 35-14 mm. More than 25 talukas across Porbandar, Banaskantha, Jamnagar, Dang, Sabarkantha, Gir Somnath, Bharuch, Patan and Anand received rainfall.

In the 24 hours ending at 6 am on May 5, Nakhatrana in Kutch had already recorded 65 mm or 2.5 inches of rainfall. In Saurashtra, Mendarda in Junagadh received 41 mm, Dhari (Amreli) 39 mm, Upleta (Rajkot) 37 mm, Kalavad and Jamnagar (Jamnagar) 35 mm, Malia (Junagadh) 30 mm, Keshod (Junagadh) 29 mm and Dhoraji (Rajkot) got 20 mm.

Jambughoda in Panchmahal and the central parts of Gujarat received 32 mm, while Sankheda in Chhota Udepur got 29 mm of rainfall.

Unseasonal thunderstorms continued at isolated places in Saurashtra on Friday too. There were reports of rainfall from many places in Rajkot and a few places in Kutch. Apprehension on damage to mango orchards after showers were reported from the Talala taluka of Gir Somnath district.

(With inputs from ENS, Rajkot)