Gujarat: Yellow alert issued in 13 districts as rains lash state

Ahmedabad, June 29 (IANS) The southwest monsoon continues to gain momentum across Gujarat, bringing much-needed showers to large parts of the state on Sunday.

As of Sunday evening, rainfall was recorded in 160 talukas between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., with the heaviest downpours reported in parts of Mehsana and Ahmedabad districts.

Kadi taluka in Mehsana district topped the charts with 3.58 inches of rainfall, followed closely by Viramgam in Ahmedabad, which recorded 3.31 inches.

Other regions that witnessed significant precipitation include Kalol in Gandhinagar (2.05 inches), Umarpada in Surat (1.93 inches), Detroj-Rampura in Ahmedabad (1.85 inches), Salvi in Vadodara (1.61 inches), and Petlad in Anand (1.34 inches).

Several talukas also received over an inch of rainfall, including Bavla (Ahmedabad), Vyara and Kukarmunda (Tapi), Songadh (Tapi), Khergam (Navsari), Mansa (Gandhinagar), Mangrol (Surat), and Navsari town. Meanwhile, lighter showers — under 1 inch — were reported in 144 talukas, reflecting a widespread but varying distribution of rain across the state.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall across 13 districts on Sunday. These include Amreli, Bhavnagar, Gir Somnath, Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch, Narmada, Chhota Udepur, Surat, Tapi, Navsari, Dang, and Valsad.

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms in several districts from July 1 to 2.

Areas under watch include Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Mahisagar, Dahod, Panchmahal, Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Tapi, Dang, Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Amreli, Bhavnagar, and Gir Somnath.

As monsoon activity intensifies, authorities are urging residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas to remain cautious and follow official advisories.

The Gujarat government has also activated disaster response teams across vulnerable districts and directed local administrations to stay on high alert.

Control rooms have been set up for real-time monitoring, and the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) is coordinating with district collectors to ensure rapid response to waterlogging, road blockages, or emergencies.

The government has also deployed NDRF and SDRF teams in flood-prone areas, while health, power, and municipal departments have been instructed to ensure uninterrupted services and swift restoration in case of disruptions.

--IANS

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