Heavy rains batter Gujarat; dams reach danger mark

Widespread downpours swept Gujarat over the past day, with rain recorded in 212 talukas spanning all 33 districts.

Valsad’s Pardi taluka received the highest rainfall at 4 inches, followed by Dharampur with 3 inches, while Khervagam (Navsari), Kaprada (Valsad) and Talod (Sabarkantha) each recorded over 2 inches, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC).

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned fishermen against venturing into the sea along Gujarat’s coast between 22 and 25 August due to rough weather.

So far, the state has recorded 681.14 mm of rain — 77.24 per cent of its seasonal average. Region-wise, South Gujarat leads with 80.51 per cent of its quota, followed by Kutch (80.26 per cent), Saurashtra (77.39 per cent), North Gujarat (75.87 per cent) and East-Central Gujarat (73.40 per cent).

જૂનાગઢ જિલ્લાના કણઝા ગામ નજીક વાડી વિસ્તારમાંથી પુરના પાણીમાં ફસાયેલ એક બાળક સહિત કુલ છ લોકોનું કેશોદ ફાયર ટીમની દ્વારા રેસ્ક્યૂ કરી સલામત સ્થળે ખસેડાયા…#GujaratRain #RescueOperation #Rescue #Junagadh #RainUpdate pic.twitter.com/EPcVEmteEd

— Gujarat Information (@InfoGujarat) August 20, 2025

Himachal: Heavy rain keeps state spinning out of gear, with 145 dead this monsoon

Reservoirs are rapidly filling up: the Narmada Dam, considered the state’s lifeline, is at 80.84 per cent capacity, while 206 other reservoirs are 75.74 per cent full. Authorities have placed 73 dams on high alert, 35 on alert, and 16 under warning.

Since 1 June, nearly 5,205 people have been evacuated and 900 rescued. To handle emergencies, 12 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 20 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are deployed, with one NDRF and 13 SDRF teams on standby.

This year’s monsoon has been marked by extremes — early onset, patchy distribution, and sudden cloudbursts. June was the wettest in a decade, bringing 288.70 mm of rain, nearly 33 per cent of the annual average, in a single month. By the end of June, Gujarat had already received over 34 per cent of its seasonal quota, a record pace.

While South Gujarat and Kutch have seen rainfall above 80 per cent of normal, Saurashtra continues to face long dry spells and deficits, with some talukas receiving only 23–36 per cent of average rain.

With IANS inputs