Relentless rainfall across Gujarat over the past two days has disrupted normal life, brought industrial activity to a standstill in several pockets, and raised concern over crop damage.
Surat Textile Hub
The textile industry in Surat, India’s largest man-made fabric manufacturing hub, has been among the worst hit. Waterlogging in industrial estates forced several processing, weaving, and trading units to suspend operations or function with skeletal staff, disrupting production and movement of goods. The wholesale markets also remained closed for a day on Thursday as water entered the basements of the complexes.
While South Gujarat and Ahmedabad continued to receive heavy to very heavy rains on Friday, the rains also moved to North Gujarat. There is also a forecast of very heavy rainfall in the Saurashtra region.
Paramilitary forces and the fire brigades were in the flooded areas rescuing those stuck. According to official information, at least 38,000 people have been evacuated to safer places in the last two days.
Social media has been flooded with videos and reels of flooding and vehicles floating in water. Ahmedabad was one of the badly affected cities with water entering housing societies in posh areas.
In several areas, waters had not receded till late evening on Friday even though there was a let-up in rains for a few hours in the morning.
Surat received a second round of heavy to very heavy rains even as the textile industry sector was yet to come out of the heavy losses it suffered during the floods that left a trail of devastation earlier this month.
Mahendra Kajiwala, a textile merchant, told FE that over 25,000 units, consisting of power looms, dyeing, and printing sections, were working at about 50% capacity as the machines had yet to be repaired. Amid this, the production and business were affected for a day, he added.
President of the South Gujarat Textile Processors Association, Jitubhai Vakharia, had earlier estimated the loss to the industry at Rs 600 crore due to closure during the floods earlier this month.
The South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry has shot off a letter to deputy chief minister Harsh Sanghavi mentioning losses that the textile industry suffered during the floods. Ashok Chodvadiya, president of SGCCI, said based on the list compiled from the information received from the industries, the loss to the machinery and materials is around Rs 99 crore. Industry sources, however, said that this list is not final and the losses are expected to rise. It also does not have details of losses to the industries whose owners had taken out insurance covers.
The SGCCI had asked the industry to provide them details about the losses suffered.
Earlier, the state government had announced a relief package for the textile industry in Surat.
Commercial establishments in Ahmedabad also reported significant losses after rainwater entered shops, offices, restaurants, and warehouses on Thursday. Several retail outlets remained shut as owners focused on pumping out water and salvaging inventory. In low-lying commercial areas, stocks of consumer goods, electronics, furniture, and packaged products suffered water damage.
Auto Sector
The automobile sector too is expected to face substantial losses. Waterlogged streets submerged thousands of two-wheelers and cars, while flash flooding swept away others. Insurance companies are likely to receive a sharp increase in claims for engine damage, electrical failures, and total vehicle losses over the coming days.
The agricultural sector has also taken a hit, although the full extent of the damage is yet to emerge. Reports from several districts indicated that standing crops, particularly cotton, groundnut, paddy, and vegetables in low-lying fields, remained submerged after continuous rainfall. Exact damage could be known in a couple of days.