Ahmedabad: Several parts of Gujarat witnessed unseasonal rain and thunderstorms early Sunday morning, bringing relief from the scorching summer heat but also raising fears of crop damage.

Since late Saturday night, isolated places in Ahmedabad, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Mehsana, Gandhinagar, and Surendranagar experienced rainfall accompanied by strong winds and lightning. In many regions, stormy weather caused power outages, uprooted trees, and minor waterlogging in low-lying areas, creating a monsoon-like atmosphere in the peak of summer.

Farmers fear major crop losses, especially in Banaskantha and Mahisagar districts, where maize crops, fodder, and grain sacks stored in open yards have been damaged. In Kadana (Mahisagar), two cattle reportedly died due to lightning. Ahmedabad also saw light rainfall in areas like Usmanpura, Wadaj, and Income Tax. Some areas in Banaskantha also reported hailstorms in the night.

In Palanpur’s Ganeshpura and Becharpura areas, water disrupted vehicular movement. In Danta and Pantawada, sacks of castor, mustard, and groundnuts were soaked in market yards. In Surendranagar’s Patdi taluka, the rains damaged both crops and salt pans. Similar scenes were reported from Vadgam, Visnagar, Dahod, and Sabarkantha.

In Umari village of Pantawada, North Gujarat, gusty winds blew away a wedding mandap, prompting attendees to scramble in a frenzy to secure it. The winds were so strong that the structure couldn’t be held in place and eventually collapsed.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted unseasonal rainfall across the state over the next six days, till May 9. An orange alert was issued for North Gujarat districts — including Aravalli, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Patan, Mehsana, Mahisagar, and Dahod — on May 5 and 6, warning of likely hailstorms and thunderstorms accompanied by rain.

Amid the change in weather, maximum temperatures also dipped on Saturday across many places. In Ahmedabad, the daytime temperature dropped below 43°C for the first time in days and settled at 41.4°C. Rajkot, which had been the hottest city in the state for weeks, also saw relief with 41.8°C, down from over 46°C last week. Amreli, Vadodara, and the state capital Gandhinagar were among other places where mercury remained above 40°C.

Today’s Weather Report (Reported on 0830 IST)