Heavy rainfall forecast for Gujarat over the week

With a well marked low pressure over southwest Madhya Pradesh and north Maharashtra, most parts of Gujarat are set to receive moderate to heavy rainfall over the next three days with intensity likely to increase over the weekend.

The weather department has forecast moderate to rather heavy rain or thundershowers at most places in the districts of north, central and south Gujarat along with union territories of Daman, Dadra Nagar Haveli. The district in Saurashtra-Kutch region are also likely to received significant amount of rainfall, they said.

"A well marked low pressure area now lies over southwest Madhya Pradesh and adjoining north Maharashtra with associated upper cyclonic circulation extending up to 7.6 km above sea level," said the forecast issued by the Indian Meteorological Department, Ahmedabad. The offshore trough from Gujarat to Lakshdweep area also persisted in the Arabian Sea, they added.

According to the regional director of IMD, Jayant Sarkar, heavy to moderate rainfall is likely in all places of the state. "After September 11 we will analyse the situation and make further prediction," he added.

During the day heavy to moderate rainfall was recorded in many parts of central, north and South Gujarat. Highest rainfall was recorded in Godhra 144mm, followed by Godhra (114mm), Sankheda (113mm) Nasvadi (110mm), Borsad (110mm), Nadidad (107mm), Morva Hadaf (104 mm), Umarpada (103mm) and Sanjeli (100mm).

Over all Gujarat has received over 80 per cent of the total season's rainfall till Monday. Whereas the water storage level had gone up to 76 per cent of the total capacity.

According to the Narmada Water Resources and Water Supply department, total storage capacity of all the dams in Gujarat was 21,014.94 million cubic meter (mcm) against which as on September 8 storage was 15,956.78 million cubic meters.

Narmada dam overflows

The Sardar Sarovar Dam on river Narmada has started overflowing and the water level is likely to increase further over the next couple of days following heavy rain in the catchment areas. The water level in the dam located in Narmada district has reached 124.60 meters. The crescent height of the dam is 121.92 meters.

The Narmada district administration has issued warning to 39 villages located downstream of the dam. The outflow from the dam at 124 meters is estimated to be around 200,000 cubic feet per second. The increase in water level is also due to release of water from upstream dams in Madhya Pradesh.

"The water in Sardar Sarovar dam on Narmada river was flowing at 124.60 meters. With the current level of flow the level is likely to rise 30 cm every hour," said Narmada district collector Rahul Gupta. He said that warnings have been issued to 39 village in the downstream areas of the dam which include 26 villages in Tilakwada and 13 villages in Garudeshwar talukas of the district.