Gujarat grapples with heavy rainfall, waterlogging: 9 lives lost in past two days

Ahmedabad, July 1 (IANS) Nine lives were lost over the last two days in Gujarat as heavy and incessant rain battered the state with certain regions witnessing over 200 mm of precipitation in the past 30 hours.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy showers in isolated parts of different districts on Saturday, followed by light to moderate rain the next couple of days .

The continuous downpour disrupted normal life in various districts, including Junagadh, Jamnagar, Morbi, Kutch, Surat, and Tapi.

Heavy waterlogging was observed in several towns and cities, while roads were closed in rural areas.

Data shared by the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) reveals that 37 talukas (administrative subdivisions) in the state received more than 100 mm of rainfall in the 30-hour period ending at 12 p.m. on Friday.

The highest rainfall was recorded in Vyara taluka of Tapi district, with a staggering 299 mm within the same time frame.

Other areas severely affected by the heavy downpour include Junagadh city (298 mm), Valod taluka of Tapi (288 mm), Mahuva in Surat (256 mm), Jamnagar city (236 mm), Bardoli of Surat (223 mm), Mendarda in Junagadh (207 mm), and Dolvan in Tapi district (206 mm).

Additionally, Jamnagar taluka of Jamnagar district received 177 mm of rainfall between 6 am and 12 p.m. on Friday, leading to heavy waterlogging in Jamnagar city.

Rain Forecast

The IMD's forecast for the upcoming days indicates heavy rains at isolated places in districts such as Gandhinagar, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch, Surat, Navsari, and Valsad on Saturday, followed by light to moderate rain in different parts of the state on Sunday and Monday.

Loss of Life

Tragically, the heavy rainfall has resulted in the loss of nine lives in rain-related incidents over the past two days, as reported by the SEOC. These incidents include the collapse of walls in the Panchmahal district and Anand, claiming the lives of four children.

Furthermore, two men drowned in Jamnagar and Arvalli districts, while a woman drowned in floodwaters in Lathi taluka of Amreli district.

Vehicle stuck in rain

In a viral video, a car was seen stuck in the waterlogged underpass of Navsari's Mandir Gam due to the heavy rainfall. With the assistance of the fire department and locals, the four occupants of the car were successfully rescued.

The video highlights the challenging situations faced by individuals as they struggled to escape the submerged vehicle.

As Gujarat continues to face the impact of heavy rainfall and waterlogging, efforts are being made to mitigate the effects and ensure the safety of residents.