Ahmedabad, June 21: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Banaskantha, Patan, and Sabarkantha districts as heavy rainfall lashed several parts of Gujarat on Friday. The weather department has forecast light to moderate rainfall across the state for the next seven days, with intensity expected to gradually increase from the weekend onward.
According to IMD data, 126 talukas recorded rainfall between 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM today. Umarpada in Surat received 3 inches of rain, while Sagbara in the Narmada district recorded around 2 inches. Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar also witnessed moderate showers.
In a significant downpour, Aravalli district recorded 5 inches of rain within just two hours, leading to waterlogging in many low-lying areas. The IMD has placed 16 districts, including the Union Territories of Daman and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, under orange alert, while 13 districts remain under yellow alert.
In anticipation of worsening weather conditions, 12 NDRF teams have been placed on standby in vulnerable districts such as Kutch, Porbandar, Junagadh, and Dwarka.
Weather expert Ambalal Patel has predicted the formation of a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal between June 24 and June 30, likely to bring substantial rainfall around the time of the annual Rath Yatra.
In Banaskantha, which is under red alert, regions like Amirgarh and Iqbalgadh experienced showers today, bringing down temperatures and providing some relief from the heat. Overcast skies have dominated the region for the past two days. However, concerns loom over the potential damage to standing groundnut crops planted during the summer season.
Meanwhile, the state government has advised fishermen to avoid venturing into the sea for the next five days due to rough weather conditions expected along the Gujarat coast.
