Saurashtra, Kutch, South Guj lashed by heavy rain

Gandhinagar July 6 (IANS) The Saurashtra part of Gujarat is experiencing very heavy downpour. There is floodlike situation also in the Kutch region. The state has received almost 36 mm of rain in the past 24 hours. The IMD has forecast more rain for the next three days.

Khambhaliya Tehsil (Block) in Devbhumi Dwarka district of Saurashtra received 19 inches of rainfall during the last 24 hours, of which at least 12 inches occurred in just 2 hours between 6 to 8 p.m.

A low pressure area over Kutch and associated cyclonic circulation has caused huge downpour. It is predicted that it is likely to intensify in the coming days.

The downpour has been of such magnitude that parked vehicles were seen totally submerged in waters and the ground floors of houses were completely waterlogged. Around hundred people have been evacuated from low lying areas in Khambhalia.

Besides the Khambhaliya, Kalyanpur block in Devbhoomi Dwarka received 14 inches of rain and Dwarka Tehsil received 10 to 11 inches of rains. Ranavav Tehsil in Porbandar district also received around 10 inches of rains, while Visavadar block in Junagadh received 8 inches of rains.

With this Devbhumi Dwarka district has received almost 90 per cent of its annual average rainfall of 640 mm. Similarly Porbandar district has so far received 698 mm, that is 71.34 per cent, Junagadh 894 mm, that is 43.79 per cent and Amreli 639 mm, that is 48.54 per cent of the average annual rainfall.

According to the State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC), 26 Talukas has received more than 1 inches of rainfall and 21 Talukas have received more than half inch of rainfall during the last 24 hours in the state.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rain in many isolated places in Saurashtra, Kutch and South Gujarat for the next 3 days.

--IANS

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