From scorching heat to deadly storms: Rains, hail and high winds batter 12 districts in Gujarat

RAJKOT: After days of intense heat, 12 districts of Gujarat reeled under wet weather accompanied by hailstorms and high-velocity winds, with Sihore in Bhavnagar district recording a maximum of 37 mm of rainfall.
In all, the sudden change in weather was reported in 53 talukas, mostly in Saurashtra, Kutch, and North Gujarat, which received at least one mm of rain. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the unseasonal rain to the impact of upper air cyclonic circulation over Pakistan and adjoining southwest Rajasthan.

The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) data showed that Sihore got 37 mm of rainfall till 8 pm, followed by 27 mm in Bhavnagar, 24 mm in Mansa in Gandhinagar district, 22 mm in Nadiad, 20 mm in Vadodara, and 19 mm each in Diyodar in Banaskantha and Sojitra in Anand district.
The IMD forecast states that a severe thunderstorm with lightning and surface wind of 60-70 kmph accompanied by hailstorm is expected at isolated places in Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar, Rajkot, Morbi, and Kutch on Tuesday as well. Other districts may expect thunderstorms and rainfall. The weather change is likely to continue for the next five days.
In Rajkot city and district, weather conditions changed suddenly in the afternoon, bringing sudden showers and gusty winds. Gondal, Lodhika, Vinchhiya, and Jasdan received light to moderate rain, with reports of hail falling near Kuvada village on the Rajkot-Ahmedabad highway.
In Botad town, high-velocity winds and rain led to trees getting uprooted. On Salangpur Road, a wedding venue was damaged as electric poles and the wedding mandap collapsed. Heavy winds on Bhavnagar Road in Botad also brought down several large hoardings. Meanwhile, in Sayla taluka of Surendranagar district, hailstorms and heavy rain triggered fears of crop damage, especially to sesame and other seasonal crops.
Kutch district also reeled under inclement weather as hailstorms were reported from Rapar taluka. Rainfall, hail, and thunderstorms affected several parts of Banaskantha, including Bhahbar, Deodar, and Kankrej talukas. Lakhni town was lashed by torrential rain with hail, leading to waterlogging in the market and rendering grains stored in gunny bags useless.
In Runi village of Bhahbar taluka, two buffaloes died after being struck by lightning during the storm. In Sabarkantha, several parts of Prantij, Himmatnagar, and Idar also recorded rain and hail. Temperatures fell significantly across major cities and towns as the mercury dropped below 40 degrees Celsius.