Heavy rainfall in Gujarat till September 1: IMD

Heavy Rainfall in Gujarat till September 1:

 IMD Issues Alert as 300 People Relocated in

Valsad

August 26, 2024 08:43 IST

By  M.k.karikalsozhan    Blog  Reporter

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The state of Gujarat is currently facing a severe weather situation as heavy rainfall continues to lash various regions, causing widespread disruption and forcing the relocation of hundreds of residents from low-lying areas. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the heavy rainfall is expected to persist until September 1, 2024, with the potential for even more intense downpours in specific areas.

 IMD's Warning and Affected Areas

The IMD has issued a heavy rainfall warning for Gujarat, highlighting the possibility of extreme weather conditions across several districts. The southern regions of the state, particularly the talukas of Vapi, Kaprada, Pardi, Umarpada, and Khergam in the districts of Valsad, Surat, and Navsari, have already experienced significant rainfall, recording between 250 to 330 mm in just 24 hours. This intense precipitation has led to the inundation of low-lying areas, causing disruptions in normal life and severely affecting traffic movement.

The forecast suggests that a few more districts, including Vadodara, Surat, Bharuch, Navsari, Valsad, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Anand, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Morbi, Dwarka, and Kutch, may experience isolated extremely heavy rainfall on Monday and Tuesday. In response to this, the IMD has issued a red alert for these regions, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall that could exacerbate the ongoing challenges.

The Meteorological Cause

The current active monsoon over Gujarat is primarily attributed to a depression over northwest Madhya Pradesh. This depression is likely to move west-southwestwards, intensifying into a deep depression over south Rajasthan and adjoining north Gujarat by August 27. The IMD has predicted that this weather system will continue its west-southwestward movement, eventually emerging into the northeast Arabian Sea off the Saurashtra and Kutch coasts, and potentially affecting the adjoining south Pakistan coasts around August 29.

 Relocation and Safety Measures

In light of the severe weather conditions, the Gujarat state government has taken proactive measures to ensure the safety of its citizens. On Saturday, 300 people were relocated from the low-lying areas of Valsad taluka. The government has been closely monitoring the situation, particularly the rising water levels of the Purna and Kaveri rivers. AM Gamit, Executive Magistrate (Disaster) of Navsari, reported that 17 individuals were shifted from Bilimora city after flooding affected the lower areas.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has been actively involved in managing the situation. He chaired a review meeting with the collectors of the rain-affected districts, including Valsad, Tapi, Navsari, Surat, Narmada, and Panchmahal. The CM emphasised the importance of relocating people to safer places and assured that the State and National Disaster Response Forces (SDRF and NDRF) are fully deployed and ready to provide assistance wherever necessary.

 Rainfall Statistics Across Gujarat

As of Sunday, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) reported that 193 talukas across Gujarat received rainfall. Khergam in Navsari recorded the highest rainfall in the state, with 262 mm of precipitation from 6 am to 6 pm. Other areas that experienced heavy rainfall include Dediapada in Narmada (199 mm), Kaprada in Valsad (178 mm), Sagbara in Narmada (175 mm), Valsad (167 mm), Dharampur in Valsad (160 mm), Rajkot (153 mm), Nandod in Narmada (152 mm), Dang (143 mm), Vansda in Navsari (137 mm), Vaghai in Dang (135 mm), Chotila in Surendranagar (132 mm), Vapi in Valsad (132 mm), Kavant in Chhota Udepur (132 mm), Paddhari in Rajkot (125 mm), Kukarmunda in Tapi (124 mm), Pardi in Valsad (122 mm), Wankaner in Morbi (120 mm), Karjan in Vadodara (114 mm), Sinor in Vadodara (104 mm), Umarpada in Surat (103 mm), and Subir in Dang (102 mm).

According to SEOC data, Gujarat has received 722 mm of rainfall so far this season, which is 81.81 per cent of the state's average monsoon rainfall. Among the regions, South Gujarat has received the highest rainfall at 97.52 per cent, followed by the Kutch region at 90 per cent, Saurashtra at 85 per cent, East Central at 69 per cent, and North Gujarat at 65 per cent.

Dams and Water Management

The heavy rainfall has also had a significant impact on the state's water reservoirs. Out of the 206 dams in Gujarat, 72 are on high alert, 15 are on alert, and 10 are under warning. As of Sunday, 58 dams were reported to be 100 per cent full, while 39 were 70-100 per cent full. The Sardar Sarovar Dam in Narmada, which has a Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 138.68 metres, is currently at 135.40 metres. Due to the increased inflow of water at 4,80,233 cusecs, officials of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL) decided to open 15 radial gates of the dam to a height of 1.95 metres to discharge 2 lakh cusecs of water downstream.

Additionally, the Riverbed Powerhouse is also discharging about 44,000 cusecs of water downstream after a complete cycle of the six turbines used for hydropower generation. This decision was prompted by the rise in inflow from the Indirasagar and Omkareshwar Dams in Madhya Pradesh. The Narmada dam had already seen the opening of nine gates earlier in August, further highlighting the challenges posed by the heavy rainfall.

 Conclusion

The ongoing heavy rainfall in Gujarat has created a challenging situation for the state's residents and authorities alike. With the IMD's warning in place till September 1, the state government is on high alert, ensuring that necessary precautions and safety measures are being implemented to protect the population. The relocation of vulnerable communities, constant monitoring of water levels, and the deployment of disaster response teams are critical steps being taken to mitigate the impact of this severe weather event.

As Gujarat navigates through these difficult times, the resilience and preparedness of its people and government will be crucial in overcoming the challenges posed by the heavy rainfall and ensuring the safety and well-being of all affected.

This monsoon, a total of 17,752 individuals have been moved to safer locations, with the highest numbers being in Navsari (5,340), Surat (3,707), and Vadodara (2,241) districts. Additionally, 1,653 people were rescued, with Anand district accounting for 540 and Surat for 353. The road and buildings department reported that 288 roads were closed, including 268 panchayat roads, seven state highways, and 13 other state roads. Heavy rainfall also caused electricity disruptions in 25 villages this season.