Monsoon unleashes mayhem in Gujarat, 27 dead

PALANPUR/BHUJ: Heavy rain coupled with gusts paralyzed four districts of north Gujarat even as at least 27 people died across the state in rain-related incidents in the 48 hours until 4pm on Tuesday.

Banaskantha district was the worst hit as incessant rain caused a flood-like situation, especially in towns bordering Rajasthan, the epicenter of deep depression that is bringing rainfall in Gujarat.

"Eight people have died in the district so far. Two deaths were reported from Kankrej, and one each from Vav, Tharad, Suigam, Dhanera, Bhabhar and Lakhani," district collector Dilip Rana told TOI. Six people are also missing.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been rushed to Suigam, Tharad, Lakhani and Dhanera towns and close to 1,000 people were shifted to safer locations in the district. Also, around 400 villages are without electricity after 1,005 poles got uprooted, officials said.

Lakhani village was battered by 530 mm rainfall in 24 hours, the highest in the state. Several societies in Palanpur town were inundated and rain waters gushed into houses. Communication links were snapped in Banaskantha and Patan districts as electricity poles were uprooted due to strong winds.

In Mount Abu, a large number of tourists was stranded as the road leading to the hill station was closed due to landslides.

The Kutch region, which also rain deficient, saw most towns getting over 100 mm rainfall. Two children were killed when the wall of a house collapsed in Bhuj, while one person was electrocuted in the town. In Rapar too, one person died of electric shock.

Two people died in Patan and Surat districts, while one death each was reported in Navsari and Himmatnagar. In Chotila town, three people died when a huge tree fell on their car.

In Ahmedabad district, three people died in Detroj in a wall collapse, while one died in the city in a similar incident. In the city, two died due to electrocution and tree collapse.

Meanwhile, the weathermen have had to eat their words as Gujarat has already received 51 per cent of its average annual rainfall (AAR) of 797mm, of which 25 per cent was registered in last five days alone. Interestingly, the state was deficient by 34 per cent on July 23 but now the rainfall has been 9 per cent surplus.

Exactly a week ago, north Gujarat was the most rain-deficient region with just 19 per cent of AAR. However, in just 48 hours at 4pm on Tuesday, the region has received nearly 70 per cent of AAR.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rains across the state till Thursday.

"The deep depression over south-west Rajasthan and adjoining Gujarat will remain active for 48 hours after which it will gradually subside," said Manorama Mohanty, deputy director, IMD Gujarat. However, another low pressure system developing in Bay of Bengal is expected to another spell of heavy rains August 2 onwards.