At least eight individuals lost their lives in Gujarat due to lightning strikes, accompanied by widespread unseasonal rains and thunderstorms that damaged crops in various areas of the state, according to officials. The State Emergency Operation Centre’s data reveals that out of 251 talukas in Gujarat, 220 received up to 50 mm of rainfall within a span of 10 hours from 6 am on Sunday, disrupting normal life and causing agricultural losses. Ahmedabad city experienced 15 mm of rainfall in a two-hour morning period, with additional showers later in the day, prompting residents to stay indoors during the weekend. Rajkot witnessed rains and hailstorms, leading to a joyful atmosphere among locals.
The unanticipated precipitation impacted the ceramic industry in Morbi district, Saurashtra, forcing factories to close. The untimely rains, accompanied by strong winds, lightning, and thunderstorms, resulted in eight fatalities in Mehsana, Dahod, Sabarkantha, Tapi, Botad, Amreli, and Ahmedabad districts. Among the casualties, a 22-year-old biker in Botad taluka succumbed to a lightning strike, while a 29-year-old man died when a tree fell on an autorickshaw in Mehsana district. Lightning strikes claimed the lives of two farmers in Tapi district, and one each in Sabarkantha, Ahmedabad, Mehsana, and Dahod districts. Livestock, including cattle and sheep, also fell victim to lightning in some areas.
The meteorological center in Ahmedabad, led by Manorama Mohanty, Director of IMD, indicated heavy rainfall forecasts for Valsad, Navsari, Surat, Dang, Tapi, Bhavnagar, Botad, and Amreli districts, attributed to a cyclonic circulation over the northeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Saurashtra and Kutch regions. While light rains are predicted for Monday in some parts of south Gujarat and Saurashtra, the state is anticipated to experience dry weather from Tuesday onwards, according to the IMD.
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