Due to a low-pressure area over Arabian Sea off south Konkan-Goa coasts, which is likely to move northwards and intensify further into a depression by Saturday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert against heavy rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm with a speed of 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph for several Southern and Saurashtra districts till May 28.
Taking into account the IMD forecast, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has instructed district administrations in Surat, Tapi, Valsad, Dang, Navsari, Amreli and Bhavnagar to remain alert and vigilant, and to make the control room operational 24×7. He gave guidelines for precautionary safety measures against this possible rain or heavy wind.
On Thursday, Rakjot recorded heavy rainfall of 66 mm within two hours: 6pm to 8 pm. Kukavav in Amreli, too, recorded heavy rainfall of 48 mm. Jamjodhpur in Jamnagar saw 25 mm of rainfall while Gondal in Rajkot recorded 18 mm. Ranavav in Porbandar and Bhesan in Junagadh recorded 17 mm of rainfall each.
Instructing the control room in the State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC) in Gandhinagar to remain operational 24×7, the CM directed it to be in constant contact with these districts.
On Friday, moderate thunderstorm with lightning and surface wind 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph accompanied with moderate to heavy rain is expected in the districts of Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, Dang, Navsari, Valsad, and Tapi; and in districts of Saurashtra, namely Rajkot, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, and Gir Somnath.
Also, light to moderate thunderstorm with lightning and surface wind of 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph accompanied with light to moderate rain is expected in the districts of Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Aravalli, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Surendranagar, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Morbi, Dwarka, Botad and Kutch.
As per the weather department, from May 25, the wind speed of the thunderstorm is likely to increase to 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph affecting Saurashtra and South Gujarat districts till May 28.
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IMD stated that while no large change in maximum temperature is expected till Friday, it is likely to fall by 2-3 degree Celsius thereafter.
On Thursday, day temperatures fell appreciably in parts of Saurashtra along with South Gujarat region and Kutch while no large change over the rest of the state was recorded.
Surendranagar and Rajkot recorded the highest maximum temperature of 42.3 degree Celsius followed by Kandla Airport (42 degree Celsius), Bhuj (41.7), Ahmedabad (41), Gandhinagar (40.5), Deesa (40.6), Vadodara (39), Amreli (38.6), Bhavnagar (37.6), Dwarka (34), Porbandar (35.5), and Surat at 35 degree Celsius.
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