Dwarka: For the second consecutive day, several areas in Gujarat have been hit by unseasonal rainfall and thunderstorms, turning summer landscapes reminiscent of the monsoon season. The sudden weather change, marked by dark clouds and strong winds, has caused significant distress to the farming community and disrupted local events.

The rainfall has mostly been reported from districts in the Saurashtra and Kutch regions, including Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, and Gir Somnath.

Devbhoomi Dwarka district witnessed downpours in Dwarka, Khambhaliya, and Kalyanpur. Kalyanpur recorded the highest rainfall at over one inch, while Khambhaliya received around half an inch. In Pindara village of Jam Kalyanpur, a religious “Shiv Katha” event had to be postponed after the pavilion was flooded. Bhatia and surrounding rural areas also reported significant rainfall activity.

Rain lashed Porbandar city and its rural areas, as well as the Barda region. Strong winds accompanying the rain led to the collapse of a mobile tower in the city.

In Kutch, rain spells were reported in Gandhidham, Adipur, Bhachau, Anjar, Mundra, and Varsamedi. In Bhachau, the rainfall has raised concerns for the local salt industry.

In Veraval of Gir Somnath, the Satta Bazaar area experienced waterlogging following significant rainfall. Jamnagar city and its surrounding areas witnessed sudden weather changes and unseasonal showers, while similar conditions were reported in parts of Rajkot city and the Jetpur region.

Unseasonal showers also affected the Vav-Tharad and Banaskantha areas in North Gujarat, including villages such as Thanesra, Tadav, Chandangarh, Rana, Kundariya, and Karli.

Devastating Impact on Agriculture

With this untimely rain, farmers across these regions are staring at crop losses. Rainwater has flooded fields, damaging standing summer crops such as moong (green gram), sesame (til), groundnut, and cumin. In some areas, mango orchards were also affected, with fruits falling prematurely due to strong winds. In Bhatia village of Dwarka, farmers who had brought their produce to the marketing yard saw their crops get drenched due to inadequate shelter facilities.

IMD Alert and Forecast

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for the next 24 hours, warning of light thunderstorms and lightning in 15 districts: Kutch, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Patan, Mehsana, Aravalli, Morbi, Surendranagar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Botad, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Porbandar, Junagadh, and Gir Somnath, along with the Union Territory of Diu. While the activity is expected to subside briefly, rainfall may resume in parts of North Gujarat and Kutch by April 7. Residents have been advised to remain cautious in open areas during thunderstorm activity. DeshGujarat