• By Nidhi Giri
  • Tue, 27 Aug 2024 12:42 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

Gujarat Rains: Torrential rains lashed several parts of Gujarat on Monday, inundating low-lying areas. Three people have died, seven are missing in rain-related incidents, and hundreds have been relocated to safer areas. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast “heavy to very heavy rains”, with isolated extremely heavy downpours expected in several districts of the state until Thursday morning. The weather body has also issued a red alert as parts of Narmada, Sirendranagar, Rajkot, Tapi, Mahisagar and Morbi, Dahod and Vadodara were among other districts that received over 100 mm of rainfall.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel conducted a virtual meeting with district collectors, police superintendents, and senior civic officials from major cities to understand the current situation.

Parts of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar have also been inundated leading to waterlogged streets being closed down, flooding and infrastructural damage. In Kutch, the Nakhtrana – Lakhpat Highway was waterlogged amid heavy rainfall which triggered a flood like situation in the region.

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Gujarat Rains: Top Updates

Several hundred people were shifted to safety in Valsad and Navsari districts as southern Gujarat district witnessed heavy rain over the weekend. According to the data from the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), Khergam taluka in Navsari district recorded the highest rainfall in the last 24 hours with 356 mm, ending at 6 am on Monday.

A search operation by NDRF is underway in Gujarat’s Morbi district to trace seven persons swept away along with their tractor trolley while crossing a flooded causeway on a river amid heavy rains, an official said on Monday. Ten out of 17 persons on board the tractor-trolley were rescued in an overnight operation near Dhavana village.

Several trains, including Vadodara – Jamnagar Intercity Express and Vadodara – Ahmedabad Intercity Express, were affected due to waterlogging at bajva station in Vadodara division, informed Western Railway.

In view of heavy rain and floods in Gujarat, union home minister Amit Shah spoke to Patel and took a briefing about the current situation and assured all possible help from the central government.

The coast off of Gujarat is also expecting dire conditions with fishermen warned to stay put. News agency PTI reported that IMD has warned of landslides, flooding and damage to horticulture crops.

Amid rainfall in catchment areas, the water level of Sardar Sarovar Narmada dam rose sharply and stood at 135.30 metres on Sunday, just a few metres below its full-reservoir capacity of 138.68 metres, officials informed.

With the current rains trends, districts in South Gujarat have received more than 105 per cent of their average annual rainfall so far, the highest in the state. Eight districts in South Gujarat and Saurashtra have received more than 100 per cent of their average annual rainfall.

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Gujarat’s 206 reservoirs contained 3.64 lakh million cubic feet of water, representing 65 per cent of their total capacity. Due to substantial increases in water levels, 72 reservoirs were put on high alert and 15 on regular alert.

North Gujarat has so far received 64.91 per cent of average annual rainfall, while east-central Gujarat has received 68.84 per cent, the SEOC data stated.

(With Inputs From Agencies)