3 women drown, 4 fishermen missing after heavy rains in Guj

Three women drowned after their car was swept away at a flooded causeway in Gujarat's Rajkot district on Sunday following heavy rains in several parts of Saurashtra region, officials said.

Besides, four fishermen were feared drowned after their boat capsized off the coast near Gir Somnath district on Saturday evening, they said.

In Rajkot, four relatives, including three women, were on way to Jamkandorna to attend a function when their car was swept away in a strong water current at an inundated causeway over the Fofal river, a police official said.

While the three women drowned, the man was rescued by locals and admitted to a hospital where his condition was reported to be critical, he said.

Meanwhile, a team of the Coast Guard and marine police were trying to locate the four missing fishermen whose boat capsized in the Arabian sea off Nava Bandar coast in Una taluka of Gir Somnath, another official said.

"The fishing boat owner learnt on Sunday morning that the vessel capsized. While three fishermen on board managed to swim to safety, four others are missing," he said.

On Sunday, heavy rains lashed several parts of Saurashtra, including Rajkot, Junagadh, Morbi and Devbhoomi Dwarka districts, as per the State Emergency Operation Centre.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast widespread rainfall across the state till Monday and advised fishermen not to venture into the sea.

It has also predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in north Gujarat and Saurashtra region.

"There is a well-marked low pressure area over the Gulf of Kutch and neighbourhood, and the cyclonic circulations associated with it are likely to move and turn into a depression over north Gujarat during next 24 hours," it said.

This is likely to cause heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in north Gujarat region, specially in Patan, Banaskantha, and Mehsana districts, as well as in Saurashtra-Kutch districts, the IMD said.

"Winds will blow at a speed of 40-50 kmph from south- easterly to southerly direction over north Gujarat coast and from southerly to south-westerly direction over south Gujarat coast and the sea will remain rough," it added.