by: Nav Jeevan

Gujarat receives 32% of average annual rainfall, IMD warns of heavy rain

  • Relief Commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey reviews monsoon situation at SEOC
  • More than 88% of the yearly average was recorded in Kutch region
  • Sowing accomplished on 47% of the total area till Monday

NE NEWS SERVICE

GANDHINAGAR, JULY 4

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a rainfall warning for several districts of Gujarat for the upcoming four days. Heavy rain is expected in the districts of Amreli, Gir Somnath, Navsari, and Valsad from July 7th to July 9th. Predicted areas of ‘light to moderate rain’ include South Gujarat, Daman, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Gandhinagar, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Anand, Panchmahal, Dahod, and all districts in the Saurashtra region. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a cyclonic circulation lay over south Gujarat region and the neighbourhood extending up to 3.1 km above. Gujarat has so far received 32% of its average annual rainfall by Tuesday.

Timely arrival of rainfall has prompted farmers to take up sowing of kharif crops since last week, state Agriculture Minister Raghavji Patel said.

Sowing was done on 40.46 lakh hectares of land till Monday, compared to 30.20 lakh hectares covered during the same period last year, he said.

Kharif sowing has risen by 10 lakh hectares this year compared to last year due to widespread rains, he said.

Cotton has been sown in 20.25 lakh hectares, compared to 15.26 lakh hectares covered last year, while groundnut has been sown on 13.28 lakh hectares this year, compared to 10.14 lakh hectares in the same period last year.

“From July 6, rainfall is likely to increase in intensity and parts of south Gujarat and coastal Saurashtra are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall. On July 7-8, parts of the state are likely to receive heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rains,” said Manorama Mohanty, director of IMD Ahmedabad MeT centre.

Relief Commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey chaired a Weather Watch Group meeting at the State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC) in Gandhinagar on Tuesday. During the meeting, the relief commissioner reviewed the monsoon situation in the state and assessed the preparedness of all departments, providing necessary guidance and suggestions.

Officials from the Irrigation Department reported that out of the 206 reservoirs in the state, 23 reservoirs are on high alert, 15 are on alert, and 10 are on warning. The meeting also included an update on the Sardar Sarovar Dam situation from an official of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd.

NDRF and SDRF officials shared that a deployment plan has been prepared to address the monsoon rain situation, with all teams on high alert.

 

Data from the state disaster management authority indicates that Gujarat has so far received 32% of its average annual rainfall by July 4. A noteworthy rainfall of more than 88% of the yearly average was recorded in the typically dry Kutch region. Last week’s heavy rainfall has notably increased the water level in several reservoirs across the state.

According to the water resources department, the state’s 207 water reservoirs, including the Sardar Sarovar Dam (Narmada Dam), currently hold 45% of their total capacity.