Gujarat rains: Schools shut amid IMD’s red alert for heavy showers, water-logging reported in many areas, and more

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Tuesday, August 27, in Gujarat predicting heavy rains during the day. The move follows heavy rainfall in the state on Monday that caused water-logging in several areas and disrupted normal life. People were seen wading through knee-deep waters on their vehicles.

State Education Minister Praful Pansheriya informed that primary schools in the state will remain closed on Tuesday.

IMD's latest weather bulletin states, “Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall likely on 27th August and heavy rainfall at isolated places on 28th August.”

Predicting light to moderate rainfall in Saurashtra and Kutch, the press release noted the possibility of “heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely on 27th August; heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely on 28th & 29th August and heavy rainfall at isolated places on 30th August.”

Baroda received the highest amount -26 cm rainfall, followed by 10 cm in Ahmedabad, 9 cm in Rajkot, 8 cm in Bhuj, 5 cm in Naliya, 3 cm each in Dwarka and Okha and 2 cm in Porbandar, according to the India Meteorological Department data between from 8.30 am on Sunday and 8.30 pm on Monday.

A flood-like situation occurred on Monday, following which the services of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were sought. Thirteen NDRF teams and twenty-two SDRF teams were deployed in the affected districts to carry out relief and rescue operations.

"The water level increased in the morning, causing water to enter the Hanuman Bhagda and Valsad areas, disrupting road connectivity. We rescued a pregnant woman," ANI quoted NDRF inspector Ramesh Kumar as saying. He informed that food was also distributed in many areas

(With inputs from ANI)