Rajkot: Unseasonal rain accompanied by hail, strong winds and dust storm-like conditions lashed Rajkot city this afternoon, throwing normal life out of gear and causing damage at several places. The sudden change in weather came amid the Meteorological Department’s forecast of rain and thunderstorms across parts of Gujarat.

The downpour began in several parts of the city, including Kalavad Road, Yagnik Road, Raiya Road, 150 Feet Ring Road, Race Course, Gondal Road and surrounding areas, with strong winds reducing visibility to near zero. Dark clouds covered the sky in the evening hours, forcing motorists to switch on headlights before sunset. In many areas, roads witnessed waterlogging within an hour due to intense rainfall.

Watch: Unseasonal Rain, Hail and Strong Winds Lash Rajkothttps://t.co/YjDK4soqqb pic.twitter.com/8hoTKE17Wc

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According to Rajkot Municipal Corporation data, around 32–36 mm of rain fell in different zones of the city within about an hour, leading to water accumulation in low-lying areas and disruption in traffic movement. Knee-deep water was reported on several roads, including near Hemu Gadhvi Hall and Tagore Road.

The strong winds caused trees, hoardings, temporary structures and power poles to collapse at multiple locations. Four electric poles fell near Sheetal Park Chowk, while a tree falling on a power line on Amin Marg triggered a loud explosion and power outage in the area. A solar panel was blown off a house in the Kotharia area and fell onto the road, while a tree collapse on Satyasai Hospital Road damaged parked vehicles. In Gondal taluka, a temporary pavilion in Charkhadi village also collapsed due to the storm.

Rain was also accompanied by hail in some parts of Saurashtra and Kutch, while rural areas around Rajkot reported strong winds along with showers. The sudden weather change has raised concern among farmers as the rain has come during the harvest season, with fears of damage to crops such as wheat, potatoes, cumin and groundnut.

The Meteorological Department has forecast unseasonal rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds in several districts of Gujarat for the next two days and issued alerts for parts of Saurashtra, Kutch and North Gujarat. Authorities had already warned market yards and farmers to avoid keeping crops in the open following the forecast.

Municipal and fire brigade teams were pressed into service to clear fallen trees and drain water from flooded roads. No casualties were reported till the last update, though damage to vehicles, shops and temporary structures has been reported from several parts of the city. DeshGujarat