IMD issues heavy rain alerts for Gujarat as reservoirs near capacity

Gandhinagar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast widespread rainfall across Gujarat over the coming days, prompting yellow and orange alerts in several districts through the first week of September.

A yellow alert has been issued for Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Aravalli, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Anand, Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, Dang, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad, Daman, Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Heavy rain is likely in Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar, Navsari, Valsad, Daman and Dadra and Nagar Haveli on September 1-2. On September 3, an orange alert was issued for Chhota Udepur and Narmada, with a yellow alert for several other districts. On September 4, Dang and Tapi were placed under orange alert, while yellow alerts continue in parts of central and south Gujarat as well as Saurashtra-Kutch districts, including Amreli, Bhavnagar, Gir Somnath and Diu. By September 5, the intensity is expected to ease, though heavy showers may still occur at isolated locations.

The state has so far received about 85 per cent of its seasonal rainfall, with last week’s heavy downpours pushing the number of talukas recording more than 1,000 mm of rain to 44. River systems are nearly full, and water storage across reservoirs has risen sharply.

The Sardar Sarovar Dam is at 84 per cent of its capacity, while the state’s 206 monitored reservoirs are at an average of 78 per cent. Of these, 67 are over full capacity, 27 between 90 and 100 per cent, and another 27 between 80 and 90 per cent.

Dharoi Dam has reached 82 per cent capacity with inflows exceeding 42,000 cusecs, while Kadana in Mahisagar has released nearly 1,00,000 cusecs, prompting warnings in downstream areas. Overall, 76 dams are between 70 and 100 per cent full, with alerts issued for 26 of them, highlighting the need for careful water management amid the heavy rainfall forecast.