Unseasonal rains hit Gujarat; farmers fear major crop loss across Saurashtra

Ahmedabad | Gujarat — While farmers across Saurashtra and other parts of Gujarat  were preparing to harvest their crops in the final phase of the year, the sudden and untimely arrival of rains has created a serious atmosphere of anxiety among farmers. Due to this unseasonal rain, there is a fear of extensive damage to the crops standing in the fields, which is threatening to ruin the farmers’ hard work for the entire year.

MeT department predicted heavy rains for next four to five days

The Meteorological Department has predicted that the state will experience rainy weather for the next four to five days as a depression in the Arabian Sea is active. On Monday, heavy to very heavy rain was predicted in Amreli, Gir-Somnath, Botad and Diu. While a yellow alert was issued for heavy rain in Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Aravalli, Mahisagar, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Surendranagar, Morbi, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Porbandar, Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Botad, Anand, Bharuch, Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Daman and Dadra Nagar Haveli.

Heavy rain has fallen in 137 talukas of the state from 6 to 10 am. The highest rainfall in four hours was recorded in Rajula of Amreli at 6.22 inches, while the lowest was recorded in Pavi Jetpur of Chhota Udepur at 1 mm.

The Amreli district is witnessing a difficult situation due to heavy rains. Motorists are facing serious hardship as water is flowing on the Somnath-Bhavnagar National Highway. Due to the inflow of water into Shetrunji Dam, which is like a lifeline of Bhavnagar district, 59 gates have been opened by two feet and water has been released. 

In the midst of winter, rivers are flowing on both banks, so people are being forced to be rescued as water has entered several villages. Three villages of Una taluka (Khatriwad, Khandhera, Amodra), Kanakiya of Gir Gadhada and Ucheya, Dharananes, Khakhbai villages of Rajula taluka have lost contact due to the flood situation.

Paddy-groundnut crop gets soaked 

It is currently the time for harvesting the crops, but due to the natural disaster, the groundnuts and paddy fields in the fields have been submerged in water. Despite covering the piles of grains in the fields with tarpaulins, the water seeped in, and the farmers were seen drinking water from the well. Due to the drought, the time has come for the people of the country to suffer losses in crops including paddy, cotton, tobacco, castor, millet, vegetables.

The Dhatarwadi river in Khakhbai village of Rajula has taken on the form of a river. Due to the flood in the Dhatarwadi river, the PGVCL transformer has been swept away in the water flow. Currently, a water-bomb situation is being seen all around.

Regarding heavy rains in Amreli, Rajula, Jafrabad Panthak, Collector Vipalk Bhardwaj said that 50 to 100 rescues have been done in 3 different places. All the people have been rescued safely. A fire team has been kept on standby in Rajula for a rescue operation.