Videos: Flood-like situation in Gujarat as cities get heavy rains in 14 hours

Ahmedabad, July 19

A large part of Gujarat, including Rajkot, Surat and Gir Somnath districts, received heavy to very heavy rainfall on Tuesday, creating a flood-like situation at several places and throwing normal life out of gear.

#WATCH | Gujarat | Severe waterlogging in Dhoraji city of Rajkot district due to incessant rainfall. (18.07)

Around 300 mm of rainfall has been recorded in the last few hours. 70 people have been shifted to safer places. pic.twitter.com/oaf5Z03q5R

— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2023

Sutrapada taluka in Gir Somnath district received 345 mm rainfall, the highest in the state, in just 14 hours since 6 am on Tuesday, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated areas in the state, especially in some districts of Saurashtra and south Gujarat regions, during the next few days.

The state administration reviewed the preparedness to deal with the situation arising out of heavy showers and the overall monsoon condition in Gujarat.

Dhoraji taluka of Rajkot district received around 250 mm rainfall during the 14-hour period since 6 am with 145 mm showers recorded in just two hours, SEOC said.

The centre said Surat was also lashed with downpour with around 104 mm showers recorded during the day, disrupting normal life in the south Gujarat city.

Parts of Junagadh district, too, experienced torrential rains.

The state government said heavy rainfall is likely to occur in Amreli and Bhavnagar districts of the Saurashtra region and Valsad district of south Gujarat between July 19-21 and necessary instructions have been given to the local administration to deal with the situation.

Out of Gujarat’s 206 reservoirs, 43 have been placed on high alert due to heavy inflow of water. Eighteen reservoirs are on an alert mode and warnings have been issued for another 19, the government said in a release.

Widespread rainfall has spurred sowing of kharif crops with 71.31 per cent f the total cultivated area planted so far this season, the release said.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Forces (SDRF) teams have been put on alert in view of the rain situation, it said.

The state has already received around 56 per cent of average rainfall so far this monsoon season.