Surat Rain Update: Surat city is Gujarat has been grappling with relentless monsoon rains since yesterday, leading to a waterlogged situation across the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in the South Gujarat region, including Surat and the forecast has proven accurate, with the city experiencing torrential downpours since the evening of July 21.

The heavy rains have continued throughout the night and into the early hours of the morning, with Surat city recording 1.1 inches of rainfall by 10 am today. Surrounding areas have also been hit hard, with Umarpada receiving 2.6 inches, Kamrej 2.2 inches, Palsana 1.9 inches, Bardoli 1.1 inches and Choryasi, Mandvi, Mangrol, Allpad and Mahuva recording between 4 mm to 8 mm of rainfall.

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The deluge began in the evening yesterday, with Surat city experiencing torrential rains, strong winds and lightning strikes from around 5 pm onwards. The heavy downpour quickly led to the inundation of low-lying areas, including Dumbhal, Limbayat Zone Office, Limbayat Mithi Khadi, Ambaji Mandir in Olpad, Mahadev Mandir and Radhe Krishna Mandir.

The heavy rains have caused disruption to the city's infrastructure, with reports of numerous fallen trees and traffic jams due to waterlogged roads. The fire department has been kept busy, responding to over 60 calls about fallen trees in the past 24 hours. Additionally, vehicles were stranded in the flooded streets and people were forced to push their cars to safety. The heavy rain and strong winds have also resulted in power outages in several parts of the city.

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The meteorological department has warned that the heavy rainfall is likely to continue throughout the day, with the possibility of light to moderate showers on the subsequent days as well. This has raised concerns among the local authorities and residents about the potential for further flooding and disruption to daily life.

The Surat Municipal Corporation has mobilised its resources to address the situation, with relief and rescue operations ongoing in the affected areas. Pumps have been deployed to clear the waterlogged streets, while the fire department continues to work tirelessly to clear the fallen trees and ensure the safety of the residents.