Heavy Rains Cause Flooding and Road Closures in Gujarat

Heavy rain has been affecting many parts of Gujarat, causing waterlogging, traffic jams, and road closures. In Valsad, two main underpasses are closed due to flooding after the city received 3.45 inches of rain in just two hours. Police have placed barricades, and there is waterlogging on the service road of National Highway 48.

In Junagadh district, heavy rain has led to the closure of many roads, including two national highways. According to district authorities, three state highways, six major district connecting roads, and 40 panchayat roads are closed due to flooding. JP Zala, Junagadh Deputy Collector, stated, “Three state highways in Junagadh have been closed. Once the water level goes down, the situation will be under control. In low-lying areas, we have issued alerts and closed waterlogged roads.”

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted very heavy rains in parts of south Gujarat and Saurashtra on July 2, with heavy rain expected in north and central Gujarat. On July 3, very heavy rains are expected in Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Daman, and Dadra Nagar Haveli. The state is experiencing a wet spell due to two cyclonic circulations over the north and south of the state.

The IMD issued a ‘red alert’ for several districts, predicting extremely heavy rain in Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Junagadh, Dwarka, and Kutch. Continuous rain over three days has damaged many roads in the state. In Ahmedabad, a massive sinkhole formed when a portion of a road caved in during heavy rainfall. Waterlogging and uprooted trees have also been reported in Ahmedabad. At Rajkot airport, part of the canopy collapsed during maintenance work, but no injuries were reported.