Gujarat Lashed by Summer Storms: 8 Dead, Rain to Continue Till May 10

Gandhinagar, Gujarat –– Gujarat was battered by a sudden spell of pre-monsoon rain on Monday, leaving a trail of destruction and at least eight people dead across various districts, including three fatalities in Vadodara alone. In Ahmedabad, a rickshaw puller was killed after a giant hoarding collapsed during the heavy downpour, underscoring the storm’s deadly impact. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of continued intense weather conditions in the coming days, issuing yellow and orange alerts for large parts of the state.

The storm, characterized by strong gusty winds, thunder, and hail, is being triggered by three distinct upper air cyclonic circulation systems hovering over and around Gujarat. These include one system over South Pakistan and southwestern Rajasthan at 1.5 km above sea level, another over the northeast Arabian Sea near the Gujarat coast at 0.9 km, and a third over Marathwada and northern Maharashtra. These systems, combined with active trough lines, are fueling unseasonal rain activity across the region.

According to the IMD, more than 75% of Gujarat is expected to experience heavy rainfall through May 10, with winds reaching speeds of 50 to 80 kilometers per hour. Some districts could witness cloudbursts and hailstorms, turning the state into a monsoon-like zone well before the actual onset of the monsoon season. Monday’s storm brought wind speeds of up to 80 km/h in Vadodara, toppling over 100 trees and plunging large sections of the city into darkness due to transformer explosions.

Districts including Kutch, Banaskantha, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Patan, Morbi, Surendranagar, Anand, Bharuch, and Narmada have been put on alert for very heavy rainfall. Hailstorms are also expected in parts of Rajkot, Mahisagar, Panchmahal, and Dahod. In the next 48 to 72 hours, more widespread storms are likely, especially in northern and central Gujarat.

The storm has also disrupted the state’s scorching summer, with temperatures expected to fall by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius, offering temporary relief from the heat. However, officials warn this spell may only be a short respite before the return of sweltering conditions.

Interestingly, this surge in summer thunderstorms is also impacting the broader climatic timeline. According to weather experts, the western disturbances—normally limited to northern India—have now extended their influence to central India, fueling unseasonal rain activity and altering moisture patterns in the Arabian Sea. This change could potentially delay the onset of the monsoon in Gujarat later this year.

As residents reel from the unexpected fury of nature, state and district administrations are now on high alert. The IMD’s forecast, effectively turning this into a dry run for monsoon preparedness, is being treated as a critical test of disaster readiness by local authorities. In many areas, emergency response teams have been deployed, while the government is urging citizens to stay indoors and avoid vulnerable zones until the storm system passes.