Rains lash Gujarat, warning issued for weekend

Heavy rains continued in many places in Gujarat on Friday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a warning of "heavy to very heavy rainfall" over the next two days.

The downpour threw normal life out of gear at many places in central and south Gujarat, resulting in swollen rivers and water-logging in residential areas.

Mahudha taluka of Kheda district received a staggering 300 mm of rainfall between 8 am to 8 pm on Friday.

It was followed by Galteshwar in Kheda (242 mm), Barvala in Botad district (220 mm), Dhandhuka of Ahmedabad (212 mm), Ranpur in Botad (184 mm), Dhrangadhra of Surendranagar (183 mm), Godhra in Panchmahal (180) and Chhota Udepur taluka of Chhota Udepur district (179 mm).

District administration of Surat and Navsari urged people living in low-lying areas to remain alert.

In a tweet, Navsari district collector M D Modiya alerted that the water level of the Purna river was rising.

Surat collector Dhaval Patel asked people not to go near the Tapi river as 75,000 cusec water has been released from Ukai dam.

"Heavy to very heavy" rainfall was reported from districts of Chhota Udepur, Dahod, Panchmahal, Sabarkantha, Mahisagar, Narmada, Dang, Vadodara, Tapi and Surat, said the IMD.

It issued a warning that heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in north, central and south Gujarat in the next two days.

Some parts of Saurashtra and Kutch would also receive heavy rainfall during the next two days.

The state government said 18 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 11 teams of the State Disaster Response Force have been deployed at various places.

As many as 154 roads in Chhota Udepur and Tapi districts are closed due to water-logging.

Earlier in the morning, 26 out of 30 gates of Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada were opened following heavy inflow of water from upstream.