Gujarat Rainfall Kills 14, IMD Issues Orange Alert

Unseasonal rains, thunderstorms, along with strong winds and dust storms, battered several parts of Gujarat, killing at least 14 persons, officials told PTI on May 6.

The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), in its update, stated that as many as 168 out of 253 talukas in the state received unseasonal rains in the last 24 hours, with Kheda, Gandhinagar, Mehsana and Vadodara districts getting 25 to 40 mm rains, reported PTI.

According to reports, strong winds uprooted trees, hoardings and pillars, and parts of houses collapsed in several districts, leaving many injured.

According to the SEOC, severe weather has so far resulted in the deaths of 13 people due to incidents such as lightning, electrocution and the collapse of trees, houses and hoardings across Ahmedabad, Anand, Kheda, Dahod, Aravalli and Vadodara districts of Gujarat on May 5. Additionally, one person died in a lightning strike in Ahmedabad's Viramgam on May 4.

Four deaths were reported in Kheda district, three in Vadodara, two each in Ahmedabad, Dahod and Aravalli, and one in Anand district, SEOC stated.

Four persons died as trees fell on them, while two were killed after coming under hoardings. Two died due to electrocution, three due to lightning, and three others after parts of houses fell on them, the SEOC added.

In Limkheda, Dahod district, a fire—spread rapidly by strong winds—destroyed more than a dozen huts, officials told PTI.

The unseasonal rain was triggered by a cyclonic circulation that developed over south Pakistan and adjoining southwest Rajasthan, which has since moved over southwest Rajasthan and nearby areas, the IMD said.

Forecast for Next Two Days

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorms with lightning and strong winds of up to 50-60 kmph across many parts of the state over the next few days.

Isolated parts of Banaskantha, Kutch, Sabarkantha, Aravalli and Anand districts are likely to receive heavy rainfall in the next three days, it said.

May 6: An orange alert has been issued for Kutch and Banaskantha, while Morbi, Surendranagar, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Anand, Bharuch and Narmada are under a yellow alert, reported Desh Gujarat.

May 7: A yellow warning has been issued for Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan, Sabarkantha, and Surendranagar.

May 8: A yellow alert has been issued for Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Anand, Amreli and Bhavnagar, with the possibility of heavy rainfall.

According to IMD, a drop of 3-5 degrees Celsius in the maximum temperature is very likely during the next 3-4 days over the region. 

(With inputs from PTI.)