Five people have been killed as heavy rainfall wreaked havoc in several districts of Gujarat’s south and Saurashtra regions on Sunday, leading to a flood-like situation in urban areas and leaving villages isolated due to rising water levels in dams and rivers.
The torrential downpours caused waterlogging in many parts of the state, resulting in traffic jams and transportation issues for residents. Among the worst-hit districts were Navsari and Junagadh, where residential areas and marketplaces experienced deluges.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Sunday rescued four people, including a pregnant woman, after they were trapped in Motibagh area due to waterlogging.
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Authorities have issued warnings, urging people to take precautions, avoid visiting dams and surrounding areas, and promptly report any emergencies. In Junagadh city, the situation was dire, with parked cars and cattle being swept away by gushing waters after it received a staggering 219 mm of rainfall in just 8 hours.
Two-storey building collapses in Junagadh
Six or seven people were feared trapped after a two-storey building collapsed on Datar Road in Gujarat’s Junagadh city on Monday, a day after it was inundated in a flash flood caused by torrential rain. A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the fire brigade were making desperate efforts to look for survivors.
Heavy rainfall predicted
The state, already reeling under a flood-like situation, is expected to receive more rainfall over the next 2 days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The IMD has issued a ‘red alert’ for Valsad, Bhavnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Daman, and Dadra Nagar Haveli, and an ‘orange alert’ for Ahmedabad, Anand, Bharuch, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Amreli, Jamnagar, Gir Somnath, and Kutch, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall.
The Met department also warned fishermen to not venture along and off the north Gujarat coast till July 26, saying squally weather conditions were very likely to prevail during this period.