Gujarat: Heavy rains in Valsad; 2 killed in lightning strike in Mehsana

Ahmedabad, (PTI): Heavy rains lashed Valsad district and other areas of south Gujarat on Tuesday, causing water-logging and inundation in many low-lying areas, officials said.

Besides, two persons died after being struck by lightning in Mehsana district on Monday night, they said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted an ”active wet spell” over the next few days.

From 6 am till noon on Tuesday, heavy showers lashed several parts of Valsad district, with its Umargam taluka receiving 225 mm rain and Vapi-109 mm downpour, as per the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC).

Also, Kaprada and Pardi talukas in Valsad received 54 and 29 mm rainfall, respectively, while Khergam in neighbouring Navsari district got 26 mm rain during the same period, the SEOC said.

Water-logging in many low-lying areas of Valsad threw normal life out of gear and affected the movement of commuters.

Several parts of Gujarat have been receiving showers since Monday evening.

Lightning strike killed a woman and a teenage boy in Ganpatpura village of Mehsana on Monday night, an official at Visnagar taluka police station said. According to the SEOC, 155 out of the state’s 251 talukas received some amount of rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 6 am on Tuesday.

Gujarat has so far this monsoon season recorded about 50 percent rain deficiency, with six out of the total 33 districts having recorded downpour classified under the ”large deficient” (with over 60 percent lower than normal) category, as per the IMD. As against 120.38 mm rainfall in June this year and 176.70 mm in July, Gujarat received only 65.2 mm rainfall in August, according to the SEOC. (PTI)