Parts of Gujarat receive rainfall due to cyclonic circulation: IMD

Several parts of Gujarat, including Ahmedabad, received rainfall on Sunday, and the met department has forecast light rainfall till June 6 morning across regions of the state as a result of cyclonic circulation over southwest Rajasthan and neighbouring areas.

It also predicted that strong surface winds of 30-40 kmph speed reaching up to 50 kmph are very likely over all districts in the state till Friday morning, and warned fishermen against venturing into the sea off north Gujarat coast till Thursday. "A cyclonic circulation formed over southwest Rajasthan and neighbourhood, and extending up to 1.5 km above mean sea level, is causing rainfall in the state," an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said. As many as 131 talukas of Gujarat received some amount of rainfall in eight hours since 6 am on Sunday, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said in a bulletin. The districts of Kheda, Mahisagar, Bharuch, Aravalli, Anand and Panchmahal and Patan received rainfall in the range of 30 mm and 55 mm during this period, it said. Ahmedabad city received rainfall accompanied by high velocity wind Sunday morning that uprooted trees and damaged billboards and hoardings. The city received 21 mm rainfall during this period, the SEOC said. On Saturday, parts of three districts - Banaskantha, Sabarkantha and Mehsana - witnessed rainfall. The IMD predicted that light to moderate rainfall and thundershowers are very likely at isolated places in Gujarat till Monday morning, and in Banaskantha and Sabarkantha till Tuesday morning. With squally wind with speed reaching to 45-55 kmph turning the sea rough along and off north Gujarat coast, fishermen have been warned by the IMD not to venture into the sea in north Gujarat coast till June 8.