While Central and South Gujarat are being hammered by the incessant rains, with a total of 22 talukas receiving more than 4 inches of rain in a matter of few hours, the rains have caused havoc in the region of Dwarka too. Nine have lost their lives and around 4238 are evacuated as the rain gods have unleashed their fury across Gujarat making overflowing river streams, filled-to-the-brim dams, cut-off villages, and flooded neighbourhoods seen in the documentaries, a reality happening in front of the eyes of citizens. A total of 236 talukas in Gujarat received rainfall in the last 24 hours, with 71 of them receiving rains more than two inches of rain.
The IMD has issued a Red Alert for extremely to exceptionally heavy rainfall in Anand and several other districts. Teams of NDRF have been on vigil with twenty SDRF teams and 11 NDRF teams being deployed in the affected districts of Vadodara, Surat, Bharuch, and Anand. The control rooms are working overtime. The largest dam in Gujarat, Sardar Sarovar is at it’s 54.61 % capacity speaks a lot about the volume of fresh water inflow. All of Gujarat’s 206 dams including Sardar Sarovar, Karjan, and Ukai, are receiving fresh water, out of which 46 are overflowing, 25 are at 70% water level, 51 are on high alert, and 12 are under warning, according to the State’s Commissioner of Relief, Alok Kumar Pandey. A total of 666 roads, including 17 state highways, 42 other roads, and 607 panchayat roads, are closed due to water overflow.
The towns and surrounding areas of Vadodara, Borsad, Navsari, and Surat in Central and South Gujarat, are battered mercilessly by the incessant rains that have caused water logging and a situation of flooding. Transportation has been affected seriously with train services being impacted adversely. The Western railways are regulating 11 long-distance express trains due to the rise in water level under a railway bridge in the Vadodara division. Four local passenger trains are cancelled.
The heavy rains have shut down the city of Vadodara. The 8.3 inches of rain in Vadodara city caused a flood-like situation in several areas. The torrential rains which started in the early morning submerged several shops, houses on the ground floor and other commercial and residential establishments in many areas, significantly disrupting normal life. The normal life is disrupted in the Navayard area, Gotri, and Sayajiganj areas of Vadodara. The roads are closed to traffic, and the schools and colleges are closed too. It would be an irony to say that the rickshaws are making hay when the sun shines, by charging more than double the normal fare, adding salt to the injury of frustrated citizens who are seeing their valuable carpets and furniture soaked in water. The Vishwamitri river swelled up to 18.3 feet from 5.5 feet in a matter of seven hours. As if no area of Vadodara remained untouched, Fatehgunj, VIP road, Rhino Circle, Bird Circle, Raopura, Tandalja, J.P. Road, Machhipith, Dandia Bazaar, Mandvi, Panigate, Akota, Old Padra Road, Mujmahuda, Alkapuri and Subhanpura witnessed water-logging and congested roads. At least 25 trees and three old houses in dilapidated condition fell.
Ajwa Sarovar also reached a level of 209.79 feet as of 5 P.M. yesterday.
Borsad, 43 km east of Vadodara, in the district of Anand, was subjected to 13.9-inch Rainfall in a mere 4 Hours by the rain gods. The small town received the heavy downpour between 8 am and 12 noon, making the small town stand still. The authorities had to evacuate the residents from the low-lying areas.
In Diamond City of Surat did not get any reprieve from the rains either. Several areas in the city were flooded with waist-deep inundation as the creeks passing through Surat city overflowed. As many as 132 roads in the district were blocked as a precautionary measure. Umarpada in Surat receives the maximum rain (10.8 inches) in the district. In Navsari too, the Ambika and Kaveri rivers have risen, causing causeways and low-level bridges to overflow by up to 3 feet. Water levels rose also significantly in local rivers such as Damanganga and Purna.
Baruch received 7.3 inches of rainfall. Tilakwada in the Narmada district received 8.3 inches in 12 hours from 6 am. Padra in Vadodara received 8.1 inches, and Nasvadi in Chhota Udepur received 6.1 inches. Khergam, Nandod, Sinor, Jhagadia, Ankleshwar, Dehgam, Hansot, Mahuva, Halol, Sankheda, Vagra, Dhaboi, Mangrol, Karjan, Bardoli, Vaghai, Kapadvanj, Valia, Khambhat, and Talod received over 4 inches of rain.
Normal life was disrupted in the flood-affected Devbhoomi Dwaraka district with reports of the newly inaugurated Sudarshan Bridge also damaged at certain points. Junagadh district has already received 120% rainfall so far this season with the highest rainfall in Manavadar taluka,56 inches.
The state has received 48.62% of its average annual monsoon rainfall. Kutch has received 75.29% of its average rainfall, Saurashtra 71.43%, and South Gujarat 57.17%. North Gujarat and East Central Gujarat have received around 25% and 26% of their average rainfall, respectively.
