Rajkot: With a deep depression lying over northern Gujarat, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for parts of Gujarat for the next three days, until August 29th.

The latest IMD bulletin stated that the deep depression over northern Gujarat has been moving westward at a speed of 5 kmph over the past six hours. As of 8:30 AM IST today, August 27th, the system was centered about 10 km west of Patan, 50 km south-southwest of Deesa, 100 km north-northwest of Ahmedabad, 120 km north-northeast of Surendranagar, and 230 km east-northeast of Bhuj. The depression is expected to continue its slow west-southwestward movement across Gujarat, reaching the Saurashtra and Kutch coasts, and possibly affecting parts of Pakistan and the northeast Arabian Sea by the morning of August 29th.

According to the bulletin, “Extremely heavy to exceptionally heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely in the Saurashtra region. A red alert has been issued for Kheda, Ahmedabad, Anand, Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Dang, Tapi, Surat, Narmada, Bharuch, Navsari, Valsad, and in Daman, Dadara Nagar Haveli, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Morbi, Dwarka, Gir Somnath, Botad, Kutch, and Diu.”

Meanwhile, six districts, namely Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Patan, Mehsana, Gandhinagar, and Aravalli, are on orange alert today.

On August 28th, a red alert with a forecast of very heavy rains has been issued for Surendranagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Morbi, Dwarka, Gir Somnath, Botad, Kutch, and Diu.

An orange alert with the prediction of heavy to very heavy rains is in place for Kheda, Ahmedabad, Anand, Panchmahal, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, Dang, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad, and in Daman, Dadara Nagar Haveli.

On August 29th, heavy to very heavy rains at a few places with isolated extremely heavy falls are very likely in all districts of Saurashtra-Kutch, namely Surendranagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Morbi, Dwarka, Gir Somnath, Botad, Kutch, and Diu. A red alert is in place for these districts.

Meanwhile, an orange alert for likely heavy rains is in place for Bharuch, Surat, Dang, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad, and in Daman, Dadara Nagar Haveli.

The IMD has also issued wind warnings. Strong surface winds, reaching 40-50 kmph and gusting to 60 kmph, are very likely over the districts of North Gujarat region on 27th August. Squally winds, reaching speeds of 45-55 kmph and gusting to 65 kmph, are likely over the districts of South Gujarat Region and Saurashtra & Kutch during 27th-29th August.

Squally winds, reaching speeds of 55-65 kmph and gusting to 75 kmph, are likely to prevail along and off Gujarat coasts, adjoining Pakistan coasts, and the northeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea during 27th-30th August. DeshGujarat