Ahmedabad: The monsoon has now gained momentum in the state, and 172 talukas across Gujarat have received rainfall in the last 24 hours. The highest rainfall of 13 inches was recorded in Mangrol in Junagadh district, leading to severe waterlogging in some parts. Today (Friday), clouds have been battering South Gujarat since morning. Chikhli in Navsari received 8 inches of rain between 8 am and 10 am, causing waterlogging in many areas.

Navsari and Valsad districts are the worst affected in South Gujarat today. Eight inches of rain in two hours in Chikhli created a flood-like situation. Water entered houses in areas including Devsar, while waterlogging on the Gandevi-Navsari State Highway disrupted traffic. More than 30 houses in Gandhinagar Phalia, Vansda, were flooded.

Valsad city received about 7 inches of rain in four hours during the morning, leaving many areas knee-deep in water. Several roads in the city were submerged, and NDRF teams have been deployed in view of the situation.

Surat district has received an average of 228 mm (9 inches) of rainfall in the last 24 to 48 hours. The highest rainfall was recorded in Olpad and Palsana. The district administration has kept the District Emergency Operation Center (DEOC) operational round the clock and has appealed to citizens not to venture out unless necessary.

Due to heavy rainfall in Tapi district, fresh inflows have begun in the Ambika, Olan, and Purna rivers passing through Dolwan taluka. Meanwhile, questions have been raised about the quality of construction after a newly built minor bridge on National Highway-56, connecting Vapi to Shamlaji, suffered major damage during the first spell of rain.

In many districts of the state, rivers have received fresh inflows and water levels in dams have increased. Two gates of the Venu-2 Dam at Upleta in Rajkot district have been opened by 0.3 metres, while five gates of the Umiyasagar Dam in Jamjodhpur have been opened by 1.5 metres, prompting alerts for low-lying villages and evacuation measures where necessary.

Kadi city in Mehsana district was inundated after receiving about 8 inches of rain in just two hours after midnight. More than 25 societies were flooded with water ranging from knee to waist level, forcing residents to rush to save their belongings in the middle of the night. All three underbridges in the city were submerged, leading to their closure for traffic.

In Vadodara Jhala village of Sutrapada taluka in Gir Somnath, low-lying areas have become waterlogged due to continuous rainfall. Authorities have deployed machines to drain out the water. Meanwhile, several fields in the Kanehar area have been submerged.

Rainy weather has also been reported in several other districts, including Sabarkantha, Kheda, Tapi, Dang, Rajkot, and Junagadh, since morning. Rain has brought relief from the heat in areas such as Idar, Prantij, Himmatnagar, and Galteshwar.

The state Health Department has been put on alert to prevent outbreaks of water-borne and mosquito-borne diseases following the heavy rainfall. Health teams have been instructed to remain deployed, especially in Valsad and Navsari.

Talukas that recorded the highest rainfall between 8 am and 10 am today:

• Chikhli (Navsari) – 200 mm (7.87 inches)
• Gandevi – 114 mm
• Khergam – 90 mm
• Vaghai – 80 mm
• Dolwan – 65 mm
• Vansda – 62 mm

With timely and widespread rainfall, hopes are high that kharif sowing will gather pace across many parts of the state, bringing cheer to farmers. DeshGujarat