Several districts in Gujarat, including Vadodara, Chhotaudepur, Kheda, and Anand, have been experiencing heavy rainfall since early this morning. Alongside, Ahmedabad has seemingly received its heaviest showers of the season in the past 24 hours.
Due to the incessant downpour, many areas and roads have been inundated. As of 2 pm, 224 talukas in the state have received rainfall. Anand’s Borsad recorded the highest rainfall of 8 inches.
Given the severe weather conditions, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel met with district collectors to take stock of the rain situation.
Ahmedabad experienced a torrential downpour since last night, with almost every area receiving an average of 6 inches of rainfall, leading to widespread waterlogging.
After most areas were inundated by 1 pm, another heavy spell of rain hit the city around 3 pm, further submerging many areas and causing water to enter several homes.
Many underpasses in the city were also submerged, bringing traffic to a standstill.
Due to the heavy rainfall, schools across the city will be closed on August 27.
Heavy rains in all parts of the state
As of 10 am today, Vadodara district’s Desar received 3.3 inches, Padra 2.7, Savli 2.3, Vadodara city 2, Waghodia 1.2, Karjan 1.2, Dabhoi 1.2 inches, and Sinor 3 mm of rainfall.
Many areas in the city, including Waghodia Road, Ajwa Road, Amit Nagar, Raopura, Karelibaug, Manjalpur, Sama, Gorwa, and Alkapuri, have been experiencing rainfall since early morning.
The water level of Ajwa Lake has also reached 211.80 feet, while the Vishwamitri Dam has reached 135.30 metres.
An inflow of 3,37,367 cusecs of water has been recorded at the Narmada dam from upstream. Consequently, the dam’s water level has reached 135.30 metres. For the first time this season, all 23 gates of the dam have been opened by 2.2 metres, leading to an alert being issued for 42 villages in Bharuch, Vadodara, and Narmada districts.
In Chhotaudepur, heavy rain accompanied by thunder has caused waterlogging on several roads, and the Orsang River is flowing close to its limit mark. Additionally, several check dams in the city have also overflowed.
In Kheda, due to continuous rainfall, all anganwadis, schools, and colleges have been ordered to remain closed on August 27.
Central Gujarat worst hit
Anand is expected to receive moderate to heavy rainfall for the next five days, as per the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) forecast. Of this, today Tarapur taluka received 6 inches, Sojitra 5 inches, Umreth 4 inches, Anand City 6 inches, Petlad 5 inches, Khambhat 6 inches, Borsad 8 inches, and Anklav more than 3 inches of rainfall.
Several areas in Panchmahal are also experiencing heavy rainfall, causing waterlogging in low-lying areas of Godhra, Halol, Kalol, Ghoghamba, Shehra, Morva Hadaf, and Jambusar.
Weather forecast for the coming days
The IMD has issued an orange alert for heavy rainfall in central Gujarat districts including Mahisagar, Dahod, Kheda, Panchmahal, Anand, Vadodara, Chhotaudepur, and Bharuch until August 27.
An orange alert has been issued for August 28 for Kheda and Anand, and a yellow alert for heavy rainfall has been issued for Mahisagar, Dahod, Panchmahal, Vadodara, Chhotaudepur, and Bharuch.
Subsequently, a yellow alert will remain in place for Mahisagar, Dahod, Kheda, Panchmahal, Anand, Vadodara, Chhotaudepur, and Bharuch districts on August 29.