Heavy rains lash Saurashtra, north Gujarat; Visavadar taluka gets 302 mm showers in 24 hours

Ahmedabad: Several parts of north Gujarat and the Saurashtra region were lashed by heavy showers since the previous day with the weather office forecasting more downpour across the state which has received almost full quota of its average annual rainfall, officials said on Tuesday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said "extremely heavy rainfall" occurred at isolated places in Junagadh district of Saurashtra on Monday, while "very heavy rainfall" occurred in north Gujarat districts of Patan, Mehsana and Banaskantha.

Between 6 am of Monday and 6 am of Tuesday, Visavadar taluka of Junagadh received 302 mm of downpour, it said.

As per data provided by the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), Gujarat has so far received 870 mm, or 99.27 per cent of the average annual rainfall.

Of the total 251 talukas in the state, 64 have received more than 1,000 mm of rainfall, 144 between 501 and 1,000 mm and 43 talukas between 251 mm and 500 mm this monsoon season so far.

An IMD release on Tuesday said the monsoon was "vigorous over Gujarat '' due to the "cyclonic circulation over southwest Rajasthan".

As per the SEOC data, as many as 34 talukas of the state have received more than 70 mm of downpour during the last 24 hours ended at 6 am of Tuesday.

Visavadar was followed by Mendarda taluka of Junagadh (194 mm), Radhanpur of Patan (194 mm), Becharaji of Mehsana (172 mm), Bhabhar of Banaskantha (171 mm), Mehsana of Mehsana district (164 mm), Vanthali of Junagadh (148 mm), Deodar of Banaskantha (111 mm) and Deesa of Banaskantha (110 mm).

The IMD, in its forecast issued during the day, predicted "heavy to very heavy rains" at isolated places in Saurashtra, Kutch and north Gujarat region on Tuesday and Wednesday.