Heavy rain batters south Gujarat; IMD forecasts more showers

The IMD has asked fishermen not to venture into the Arabian Sea till July 21

Heavy rains pounded parts of south Gujarat on Sunday, throwing normal live out of gear and causing water-logging at a number of places in Valsad, Vapi and Navsari.

''A cyclonic circulation lies over the south Gujarat region and neighbourhood at 2.1 km above the mean sea level,'' the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, and predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in the region till Tuesday morning.

It also asked fishermen not to venture into the Arabian Sea till July 21.

Low-lying areas in Vapi and Umargam in Valsad district were flooded, with underpasses and roads overflowing, affecting traffic movement.

Several markets and residential areas were also inundated in Valsad and Vapi.

Besides, Gandevi, Khergam and Chikhli talukas in Navsari district and Kamrej and Bardoli in Surat district in the south Gujarat also received heavy rainfall.

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), Vapi taluka in Valsad district received 226 mm rainfall in six hours from 6 am, while Umargam received 232 mm rainfall during the period.

The Valsad taluka received 143 mm rainfall and Jalalpor got 146 mm rainfall during the period, officials of the SEOC said. Besides, the Navsari taluka got 120 mm rainfall, Gandevi in Navsari received 119 mm rain, while Kamrej in Surat district got 118 mm rainfall during the period.

As per Valsad Additional Collector N A Rajput, the district's Umargam, Valsad and Vapi taluka received very heavy rainfall since morning. ''Our teams are posted in the field in low-lying areas. The rainfall has stopped now and water has started receding in many areas. Fire brigade teams are also deployed at strategic locations to help the affected people as and when required,'' he said. According to the (IMD), Gujarat has so far recorded a rainfall deficit of 36 per cent. Till Saturday the state received 21.69 per cent of annual average rainfall this monsoon, it said.

Out of the state's 33 districts, only five have received normal rainfall so far, while 26 have received deficient rainfall and two have recorded 'large deficiency', the IMD said.

In a separate release, the IMD asked fishermen not to venture out into the Arabian Sea along the north and south Gujarat coasts till July 21, due to ''active monsoon conditions'' that create squally weather conditions, with wind speed gust likely to reach 60 kmph, even if temporarily.