Heavy rains continue to batter Gujarat; IMD issues red alert for fresh downpour

Heavy rains continued to batter Gujarat even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at separate places in the state, where floods have left at least 40 people dead and over 55,000 displaced across 25 districts since August 25.

IMD said heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy falls was very likely at isolated places in Chhotaudepur, Narmada, Surat, and Tapi on Tuesday. It sounded the red alert for these areas. The IMD said heavy to very heavy rains were expected at isolated locations in Banaskantha, Panchmahal, Dahod, Vadodara, Bharuch, Dangs, Navsari, Valsad, and Tapi. It added that heavy rains were likely at isolated places in Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Aravalli, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Anand, Mahisagar, Amreli and Bhavnagar. There was also the possibility of thunderstorms with lightning and surface winds of 30-40 km per hour (in gusts) at isolated places across Gujarat.

The weather pattern was expected to continue over the next few days. The IMD said heavy to very heavy rains were expected at isolated places in Bharuch and Surat on Thursday and heavy rainfall in Banaskantha, Navsari, Valsad, Kutch, and Daman Dadra Nagar Haveli.

Dams and reservoirs, including the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River, were nearing or at full capacity amid continuous rainfall. National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed to assist in rescue and relief efforts in the affected areas.

The IMD said the depression, or the remnant of Cyclonic Storm Asna, over the northwest Arabian Sea also moved south-southwestwards and weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area over the region at 11.30 am on Monday. The system was likely to continue moving south-southwestwards and weaken gradually into a low-pressure area over the northwest Arabian Sea. The weakening was not expected to significantly impact the ongoing heavy rainfall in Gujarat. An active southwest monsoon trough and the offshore trough along the south Gujarat to north Kerala coast were influencing the state’s weather. IMD advised fishers against venturing into the sea until Thursday due to the rough weather conditions

On Monday, Songadh in the Tapi district recorded the highest rainfall at 218 mm (8.58 inches). Vaghai in the Dangs district received 194 mm (7.64 inches) of rain followed by Vansada in Navsari district with 166 mm (6.54 inches).

In Bharuch, there was no rain until 2 pm on Monday. But the situation changed in the following two hours, with a sudden downpour of 120 mm. Ahmedabad recorded 22 mm of rain and Surat 8 mm. Electricity remained disrupted at several places.