Third spell narrows rainfall deficit in state

Bhiloda in Sabarkantha district received 207 mm rainfall — the highest in Gujarat till Sunday morning.

The Southwest Monsoon continues to be active in Gujarat over the last 36 hours with Rajkot,Bhuj,Naliya,Idar and Valsad regions receiving well over 100 mm of rainfall. Porbandar,Okha and Kandla also received heavy rainfall.

The state centre of the Meteorological Department has sounded alarm bells of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coastal areas across Gujarat.

With widespread rains and thundershowers,visibility in the coastal regions is expected to get poor.

All parts of Sabarkanhta received heavy showers,with Vadali recording 159mm rainfall,Idar 145mm,Dhansura 125mm and Bhiloda recording the highest rainfall at 207 mm from Saturday to Sunday morning.

Mehsana recorded 175 mm of rainfall,while Vijapur in the same district received 124 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours. Deodar and Deesa in Banaskantha recorded 100 mm and 88mm rainfall respectively.

lowers rainfall deficit Parts of north and central Gujarat,including Ahmedabad,Mehsana,Sabarkanhta,Banaskanhta and Panchmahals received heavy to very heavy rainfall and the situation is likely to continue.

Kamaljeet Ray,director,Meteorological Department,Gujarat region,said: “The monsoon had been below normal in Gujarat till now. But the last three days of monsoon activity covered 10 percent of the deficit. And,by the time the spell weakens,it will cover the remaining percentage. The next 24 hours will see heavy to very heavy rainfall in Kutch,Saurashtra and parts of south Gujarat,but rainfall will decrease after 24 hours.”

15 injured in tent collapse

FIFTEEN people sustained injuries after a tent collapsed at the Ambaji Temple in Banaskantha district on Saturday evening,following heavy rainfall in the last 48 hours.

The place was crowded as lakhs of devotees had flocked to the temple from across Gujarat and the neighbouring states for the Bhadarvi Poonam mela. Continuous showers had loosened the soil,leading to the mishap. The injured were rushed to a general hospital in Ambaji for treatment.