The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rainfall alert for several districts in Gujarat, where massive flooding has resulted in numerous deaths and displaced thousands of people.

The IMD has forecasted heavy rain and thunderstorms, with wind gusts reaching up to 60 km/h, in isolated areas of Kachchh, Morbi, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, and Porbandar districts. Moderate rainfall is expected in Surendranagar, Rajkot, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, and Amreli, while light rain is predicted for numerous other districts across the state.

The ongoing deluge has claimed 32 lives in rain-related incidents over the past four days. Khambhaliya has been the hardest hit, recording 944 mm of rainfall over the last five days.

“Light thunderstorms or lightning, with maximum surface wind speeds of less than 40 km/h (in gusts), accompanied by light to moderate rainfall (5-15 mm/hr), are very likely at isolated places in the districts of Gujarat, namely Surendranagar, Rajkot, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, and Amreli, ” the weather agency said.

“Light rainfall (5 mm/hr) is very likely at isolated places in the districts of Gujarat, including Diu, Banaskantha, Patan, Mahesana, Sabar Kantha, Aravalli, Mahisagar, Dahod, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Botad, Bhavnagar, Anand, Khera, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Panchmahal, Bharuch, Narmada, Surat, Tapi, Dangs, Navsari, Valsad, Daman, and Dadar & Nagar Haveli,” the IMD added.

On Thursday, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel held a high-level meeting at the State Emergency Operation Centre in Gandhinagar to assess the flood situation. Patel also visited affected areas in Vadodara and Devbhoomi Dwarka districts to oversee relief efforts.

In Khambhaliya, Patel gathered first-hand information about the rainfall’s impact and oversaw relief operations being carried out by the NDRF, SDRF, Army, and Coast Guard. He visited the affected areas of Ramnagar and Kanzar Checkpost, inquired about residents’ well-being, and reviewed the arrangements for those impacted by the floods.

(Inputs from ANI)