Anand: After battering the Saurashtra, Kutch, and South Gujarat regions for the past few days, the clouds brought heavy downpours to Central Gujarat on Wednesday. Borsad taluka in Anand district received the highest rainfall, with nearly 14 inches recorded from 6 am to midnight.

Borsad taluka received the highest rainfall so far, with 13.9 inches, followed by Vadodara city, which recorded 8.5 inches, and Tilakwada, which received 8.3 inches of rain between 6 am and midnight.

By midnight, 236 talukas in the state had received rainfall, with 71 of them getting more than two inches of rain within 18 hours. Borsad, Vadodara, Tilakwada, Padra, Bharuch, Khergam, Naswadi, Nandod, Sinor, Jhagadia, Ankleshwar, Dehgam, Hansot, Mahuva, Halol, Sankheda, Vagra, Dhaboi, Mangrol, Karjan, Bardoli, Vaghai, Kapadvanj, Valia, Khambhat, and Talod received over 4 inches of rain.

Briefing the media on heavy rains Gujarat Relief Commissioner Alok Panday said, “Sardar Sarovar Dam has reached 54.61% capacity; other than this, out of 206 dams in the state, 46 are overflowing, 25 are at 70% water level, 51 are on high alert, and 12 are under warning. During the monsoon season, over 4,000 people have been shifted to safer places, and 535 people have been rescued in total. In the last 24 hours, 215 people were rescued and 826 were shifted, mostly in Navsari, Dwarka, Surat, and Bharuch districts. Eight people have lost their lives in the last 24 hours due to lightning and drowning. Thirteen teams of NDRF and 20 teams of SDRF are deployed in multiple districts, with two NDRF teams held in reserve. A total of 666 roads, including 17 state highways, 42 other roads, and 607 panchayat roads, are closed due to water overflow.”

In the last 24 hours, ending at 6 am today, 206 talukas experienced rain, with Umarpada in Surat receiving the maximum of 10.8 inches.

In another update, as of 6 am today, the state has received 48.62% of its average annual monsoon rainfall. Kutch has received 75.29% of its average rainfall, Saurashtra 71.43%, and South Gujarat 57.17%. North Gujarat and East Central Gujarat have received around 25% and 26% of their average rainfall, respectively.

In Bharuch district, around 12 villages are currently cut off, and several roads have been closed to traffic. Train services passing through Bharuch have been regulated due to waterlogged tracks. Schools and colleges in Valsad, Navsari, Surat, and Bharuch districts will remain closed today.

Water levels are rising in local rivers such as Damanganga and Purna, as well as in major dams like Sardar Sarovar, Karjan, and Ukai. Normal life remains disrupted in the flood-affected Devbhoomi Dwaraka district. Several dams in Saurashtra, including the Vartu dam in Devbhoomi Dwarka, are on high alert.

With the heavy downpour in the Vadodara district, Collector Bijal Shah has instructed the liaison officers assigned to each taluka to visit their respective areas and assess the situation. All district officers and talatis have been directed to remain at headquarters and implement vigilance and precautionary measures. Immediate action has been requested to remove trees and clear water from roads. Any casualties or damages should be reported to the District Emergency Center immediately. The district administration has advised residents to avoid crossing rivers or pools when water levels are dangerously high.

In the Navayard area, residents are facing difficulties due to water seeping into their homes. All household furniture is soaked, leading to frustration among locals.

The road to Gotri has been closed due to flooding in the Sayajiganj area of Vadodara, leaving university students stranded. Students from MS University and commuters from Vadodara station are reluctant to use rickshaws, which are now charging 50 rupees due to the price hike, compared to the usual 20 rupees.

With the sudden heavy rain in Padra, low-lying areas such as Hanuman Road, Pani ni Tanki area, and Housing Board have become waterlogged, with water levels reaching up to knee-deep.

Junagadh district has received 120% rainfall so far this season. The highest rainfall in Manavadar taluka is 56 inches 156.96% in this season.

In Surat, streets and low-lying areas have been waterlogged for the past three days. Saniya Hemad village has been inundated, with water levels around 10 feet, completely submerging a temple. The fire department has been conducting rescue operations in these areas.

With over 12 inches of rain, normal life has been disrupted. Low-lying areas such as Janta Bazar and societies near Anand Chowkdi are waterlogged, and some people have been rescued from severely affected areas.

Navsari has experienced heavy rains for the past few days. The Ambika and Kaveri rivers in the district have risen, causing causeways and low-level bridges to overflow by up to 3 feet, creating difficulties for commuters.