Heavy rains lash Gujarat; IMD issues red alert for eight districts

Torrential rains battered several parts of Gujarat on Monday, inundating roads and underpasses and disrupting normal life, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for eight districts and forecast more heavy showers.

Central Gujarat bore the brunt of the downpour, with Borsad taluka in Anand district recording 138 mm of rain and Dholka in Ahmedabad district receiving 102 mm between 6 am and 2 pm, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC).

Ahmedabad city recorded 84 mm during the same eight-hour period, leaving low-lying residential areas inundated and severely reducing visibility for commuters. Knee-deep water brought traffic to a halt on several major roads and created flood-like conditions in parts of the city.

Authorities have deployed 38 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in vulnerable districts as a precautionary measure.

South Gujarat also witnessed heavy overnight rainfall, with Kaprada in Valsad district receiving 113 mm in the 24 hours ending at 6 am on Monday.

Gujarat has so far received 80.23 per cent of its seasonal average rainfall, while South Gujarat has crossed 110 per cent of its seasonal average, the SEOC said.

Officials said 35 of the state's 206 water reservoirs were on high alert, while warnings had been issued for 13 other reservoirs.

The IMD has issued a red alert for Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Morbi, Porbandar, Jamnagar and Devbhumi Dwarka, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall in these districts.

Weather conditions are expected to improve from Tuesday, with lighter spells likely in coastal districts.