Heavy rains bring respite in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: The first spell of widespread rains lashed the city as well as most parts of Gujarat and Saurashtra from Tuesday night till Wednesday morning, heralding the much-anticipated arrival of the monsoon in Gujarat. On Wednesday, weather officials forecast moderate to rather heavy rains and thundershowers at most places in all districts of the state, for the next 36 hours.
Ahmedabad received heavy showers accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms through the night. Weather officials warned that heavy to very heavy rains would occur at isolated places over Gujarat region and Saurashtra. Vadodara received the maximum - four inches - rainfall followed by Dholka in Ahmedabad and Padra taluka in Vadodara which received three inches. Kutch, however, remained completely dry.
Meteorologist of India Meteorological Department (IMD) Gujarat, Manorama Mohanty, said that the monsoon line has crossed over Ahmedabad. "The south west monsoon system is active and the upper air cyclonic circulation lies over Gujarat region and adjoining areas, due to which widespread rains are expected till Thursday. The rains will start slowing down after that," Mohanty said.
The state revenue department said that 119 talukas of the state had received noteworthy rainfall. Eighteen talukas recorded two to four inches of rain.
"In a single night, Vadodara received 100 mm of rain while Dholka and Padra received 72 mm each," a press release from the revenue department said. A two-storey house fell in Wadi area of Vadodara but no one was injured. In Nagarwada, a wall fell in VMC quarters due to lightening. In rural areas, about 20 cows were trapped in Dhadar riverbed in Karjan taluka while two buffaloes died of lightening strike in Naswadi and Kawant taluka. As many as 1200 villages of Vadodara, Anand, Kheda, Panchmahals and Dahod districts faced complete black outs on Tuesday night as incessant rains hit the region.
Rains accompanied by heavy winds were reported in Rajkot, Jamnagar, Surendranagar, Amreli, Junagadh, Porbandar and Bhavnagar. The Met office has advised fishermen not to venture out to sea during the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, heavy rain caused a wall collapse in Kantala village of Bhavnagar district leaving four-year-old Vivek Jambucha dead.
Power cuts were also reported in parts of Saurashtra.
The district administrations of Surat and Tapi are also on alert after heavy rains were forecast. Officials of the two districts as well as Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) said that they have a disaster plan prepared in case of any eventuality.
A 16-year-old girl, Bina Gamit died after lightning struck her in Varde Khord village of Uchchal taluka in Tapi. Tapi collector A J Shah said, " We have already taken all the necessary precautions and informed all taluka-level officials to be on their toes."