Thunderstorm wreaks havoc in Amreli, Junagadh & Somnath: Trees, electric poles uprooted

As predicted by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), unseasonal rains with strong winds hit parts of Gujarat, including Saurashtra. On Friday, heavy downpours accompanied by a mini cyclone-like situation caused waterlogging in Amreli, Junagadh, and Gir Somnath, with rainfall reaching up to three inches in some areas.

Stormy winds blowing at speeds of 70-80 km/h caused widespread damage. Trees and electric poles collapsed in various places, disrupting power supply and blocking roads. Hoardings, tin sheets, and banners were blown away. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

Rainfall in Saurashtra

In Amreli, it rained heavily for the second consecutive day, with thunderstorms and strong winds. Amreli city received nearly three inches of rain, leading to waterlogging. In the Jesingpara area of Amreli, water logging was ankle-deep. 

Villages of Amreli like Vadera, Nana Bhandariya, Sarambhada, and Gavadka experienced lightning along with rainfall. Lathi town received 1.5 inches of rain, and surrounding rural areas saw up to 2 inches. 

Vadya also experienced a weather shift with heavy rain and lightning. The Amreli-Kunkavav state highway was affected by rain. 

Near Nana Bhandariya, trees blocked the road, prompting fire teams to clear the debris. In Amreli’s Bagasara, farm fields were flooded, and a tree collapsed near Gavadka Crossroad on the highway, causing inconvenience to drivers. A mini cyclone struck the Lathi region as well, toppling several trees on the Lathi-Chavand highway and tearing off tin sheets from an oil mill. Vadya also witnessed trees falling.

Several areas of Gir Somnath district including Veraval, Somnath, Sutrapada, and Prabhas Patan saw sudden weather changes on Friday  evening, with strong winds and nearly one inch of rain in just half an hour. Rural areas experienced cyclone-like conditions. In Veraval, roads like Rajendra Bhavan Road, the main market entrance, and the bus stand road were flooded. 

A fire at the Veraval electricity sub-station led to power outages in half the city. The Kajli-Prasli marketing yard has been ordered shut until May 25. In Prabhas Patan, a large tree near the Shiv police station collapsed on a public road, damaging two rickshaws, five bikes/scooters, and a cabin, but luckily there were no injuries.

In Junagadh district, heavy winds and rainfall along with speedy winds hit Mendarda, Mangrol, Visavadar, and Keshod talukas on Friday afternoon. 

Rainfall reports showed 2 inches in Mendarda, 1 inch in Mangrol, and 0.5 inches in Maliya Hatina. The storm caused significant damage due to strong winds. Near Ajab in Keshod, around 15 trees were uprooted. In rural areas of Visavadar and Maliya Hatina, electricity poles collapsed, cutting off power. Fallen trees on roads such as Mendarada-Datrana, Keshod-Mangrol, and Mendarada-Sasan disrupted traffic.

Unseasonal rainfall to continue till May 27

Unseasonal rain has been affecting Gujarat for several days. In the past 24 hours, 18 talukas in the state reported unseasonal rainfall. Four talukas received between 1 to 3 inches of rain, while 10 talukas received under 1 inch. The highest rainfall was recorded in Amreli taluka at 3.39 inches, followed by 1.73 inches in Mendarda (Junagadh), 1.30 inches in Lathi (Amreli), and 1.26 inches in Mangrol (Junagadh).

The IMD has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain in nine districts of Gujarat until May 27.