What is the impact of the monsoon on Gujarat?

Ahmedabad, June 20 (NationPress) As the Southwest monsoon establishes its strong presence in Gujarat, significant rainfall has affected various regions of the state over the past 24 hours, officials reported on Friday.

Data from the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) revealed that rainfall was recorded in 101 talukas, with 30 areas experiencing downpours of between 1 to 7 inches.

The town of Vapi in Valsad district experienced the most rainfall, measuring at seven inches, followed closely by Pardi at 5.25 inches and Kaprada at 5 inches.

This heavy rainfall has resulted in flash floods and waterlogging, necessitating evacuation and rescue operations in southern and central Gujarat.

Currently, over 1,060 individuals have been moved to safety across four districts in Gujarat.

Rescue teams have successfully evacuated 189 people who were stranded due to rising water levels.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Valsad, Dang, and Navsari districts, along with an orange alert for Dahod, Mahisagar, Bharuch, Surat, and Tapi as of Friday.

A total of 33 teams—comprising 13 from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 20 from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF)—are actively engaged in the affected areas.

In the last 24 hours, rescue efforts included evacuating 89 individuals in Bhavnagar, 69 in Amreli, 24 in Botad, and 7 in Gandhinagar.

Evacuation figures rose significantly, with 729 people relocated from Bhavnagar, 117 each from Surendranagar and Botad, and 80 from Amreli.

As of Thursday afternoon, four state highways and one national highway—primarily in Bhavnagar and Anand—remain closed due to flooding.

A total of 196 roads are currently inaccessible to vehicles, including 60 in Bhavnagar and 49 in Valsad.

In addition to Vapi, regions like Umargam (Valsad) and Khergam (Navsari) received four inches of rainfall.

Hansot and Valia in Bharuch, Olpad in Surat, and Waghai in Dang also recorded over three inches of rain.

Furthermore, seven talukas received more than 2 inches, 12 talukas saw over 1 inch, and 72 talukas recorded less than one inch of rainfall.

Currently, Gujarat's 206 reservoirs are at 41 percent of their maximum capacity.

Of these, 15 are on high alert, 10 are on alert, and nine are under warning status.

Notably, nine reservoirs have reached full capacity, including Dhatrawadi and Surajwadi (Amreli), Rojki and Bagad (Bhavnagar), Bhimdad (Botad), and Vanskhal, Limbhogavo, Saburi, and Dholi Dhaja in Surendranagar.

As rainfall activity escalates, authorities are closely monitoring vulnerable areas, advising residents to remain vigilant and avoid low-lying zones.