Heavy Rainfall Wreaks Havoc in Guj, IMD Issues Orange Alert

Heavy rain in parts of Gujarat have wreaked havoc, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an orange alert for more downpours across the state.

In its latest forecast, the IMD also predicted inclement weather expected to persist for the next four to five days.

The orange alert was issued for Wednesday to Friday, indicating a heightened risk of extreme weather conditions.

On Tuesday, Dhoraji in Rajkot witnessed a staggering 9.5 inches of rainfall within a span of just six hours, resulting in severe flooding throughout the entire city.

Meanwhile, a heavy rain warning has been issued for numerous districts in South Gujarat and Saurashtra for the next 24 hours.

Torrential rains has continued to lash several parts of the state, including Ahmedabad, since Tuesday through Wednesday.

The downpour caused chaos in South Gujarat, particularly in Surat, where approximately 3 inches of rain poured down within a two-hour window on Tuesday morning.

The torrential rainfall led to extensive waterlogging in various areas of the diamond city, causing major disruptions to traffic flow.

Jamkandorna taluka in Rajkot experienced the highest recorded rainfall within a two-hour period. Between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Tuesday evening, an astonishing 144 mm of rain drenched the region.

Areas such as Udhana Darwaja, Udhna Garnala, Udhna Char Rasta, Limbayat, and Dhumbal bore the brunt of the heavy rainfall, leading to widespread waterlogging.

In response to the rapid accumulation of rainwater, the underpass at Udhna Railway Station had to be temporarily closed, causing further inconvenience to commuters.

While Surat experienced the worst of the heavy rainfall, several rural areas in Gujarat also suffered.

Three districts in Saurashtra -- Gir-Somnath, Rajkot, and Junagadh -- along with Mahisagar in South Gujarat, recorded rainfall exceeding 50 mm or 2 inches throughout the day.

Furthermore, a total of 9 talukas received more than 100 mm of rainfall within a span of 14 hours on Tuesday.

Sutrapada in Gir-Somnath recorded the highest rainfall during this period, measuring a remarkable 345 mm, according to the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC).