Update at 6 pm:

Water will come out from Vishwamitri river in hour or two, it’s a very serious situation of flood. Massive volume of water is going to arrive. Those in low lying area must immediately relocate : VMC Commissioner

Water will come out from Vishwamitri river in hour or two, it’s a very serious situation of flood. Massive volume of water is going to arrive. Those in low lying area must immediately relocate : VMC Commissioner https://t.co/oXDk8PN6cK pic.twitter.com/BUTbJK3UQ8

— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) August 26, 2024

Update at 4 pm: 

Vadodara: Vishwamitri river which passes through the city of Vadodara has crossed the danger level of 26 ft today afternoon at around 4 pm at Kala Ghoda bridge. The rise in the level of water had been very fast in last 24 hours. The river had crossed danger level a month ago as well. At this speed the river level may go up to actual impacting level of 29 ft in next few hours. Post 30 ft level, the river actually impacts the routine life of city due to wide spread flooding. As the river crossed the danger mark, lot of people started parking their vehicles on the over bridge to save them from damages related to potential waterlogging.

Compared to last month, the situation this time is more alerting because the level at Ajwa dam has also crossed 214 ft danger mark. After 214 level at Ajwa, entire surplus volume of water is released to downstream in river Vishwamitri towards Vadodara. It’s not possible to stop of control the outflow at Ajwa after 214 ft mark is crossed. The catchment area of Ajwa and Pratap Sarovar reservoirs have received heavy to very heavy rains in last 24 hours. The rainfall is continuing and there’s forecast of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall.

On the other hand Vadodara city has also witnessed significant rainfall in the morning itself. River Vishwamitri merges into river Dhadhar after the city of Vadodara. River Dhadhar itself is also carrying huge water from catchment areas of Central Gujarat. It creates a situation in which Vishwamitry’s offloading to sea through Dhadhar doesn’t happen speedily and smoothly.

Evacuation from low lying area, huge waterlogging, closure of Kalaghoda bridge and Mangal Pandey bridge – these much of event happen once the level of Vishwamitri river in Vadodara city crosses 28 ft level. At some 34 ft level which was witnessed previously a few years ago, many areas of Vadodara would be flooded.

For these reasons, the citizens of Vadodara are continuously keeping eye over the rising level of Ajwa and Vishwamitri and also the volume of rainfall.

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Earlier story published in the morning:

Water level at Ajwa dam is rising. It has gone up to 212.31 ft today at 10.30 am. On the other hand the level of water at Kalaghoda bridge in Vadodara has gone up to 20.44 ft. The danger level of river Vishwamitri at Kalaghoda bridge is 26 ft. The flood like impact in low lying areas is felt after 27 to 29 ft. Above 30 ft, the flood situation is felt in more parts of the city of Vaddoara.

On Sunday, the city municipal commissioner visited the Kalaghoda bridge. He however told media persons that there was nothing to fear or worth alerting at this stage. He said if there’s very heavy rainfall and level at Ajwa and Pratap Sarovar go up then the administration was ready to relocate people from low lying areas to safer places.

If we look at the situation of rainfall today, the data shows lot of parts of Central Gujarat are witnessing heavy rainfall. Morva Hadaf – 127 mm, Anand – 112 mm, Godhra 102 mm, Nadiad 88 mm, Desar 85 mm, Fatepura 75 mm, Santrampur 74 mm, Vaso 70 mm, Shehra 68 mm, Padra 68 mm, Borsad 67 mm to name few. Therefore the situation demands continuous watch on the levels of Ajwa and Pratappura and at the same time the level of Vishwamitri at Kalaghoda in Vadodara.

The danger mark at Ajwa is 214 ft. The rivers Surya, Vagholi, Omkar and Gojari, help to fill Ajwa dam up with rainwater. Ajwa receives water due to heavy rain in Panchmahal, Jambughoda, Pavagadh-Champaner areas of Central Gujarat. The other thing is, if Ajwa dam continues to get fresh inflow from upstream areas (Catchment areas of Ajwa include the parts of Vadodara and Panchmahal district including Waghodiya, Halol, Jambughoda areas )due to heavy rainfall there, water would have to be released towards Vadodara in Vishwamitri river. If water is also released from Pratappura reservoir towards Vadodara in Vishwamitri, then Vishwamitri’s level rises further.  DeshGujarat

Water Level Statistics