- विज्ञापन -
In response to the heavy rainfall conditions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert and red alerts for parts of Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. According to the reports, orange alert has been issued in Himachal starting June 29, with warnings of potential flash floods, rising river levels, and landslides in several districts.
Speaking to the media, Sandeep Kumar Sharma, a Senior Scientist at the IMD’s Shimla Centre, said that the state has experienced widespread rainfall over the past 24 hours, with some areas recording intense precipitation.
“Almost all regions in Himachal Pradesh received rainfall during the past 24 hours. The highest rainfall was recorded in Palampur at 76 mm, followed by Banjar at 75 mm. Moderate rainfall of around 55 mm was recorded in Sirmaur.
People should stay away from rivers and streams; landslide risk remains high,” Sharma said.
He added that light to moderate rainfall is expected to continue in most parts of the state on June 26 and 27, with isolated spells of heavy rain likely in Kangra, Chamba, and Kullu districts.
“There is a possibility of heavy rainfall at one or two places in Kangra, Chamba, and Kullu districts during these two days. On June 27, the weather activity will intensify in Solan, Shimla, and Sirmaur districts,” he added.
Temporary weather relief is expected on June 28, but intense rains are forecasted to return on June 29 and 30.
According to Sharma, June 28 will bring a slight dip in rainfall activity, but higher reaches and mid-hill areas may still receive moderate showers. However, weather is expected to worsen again by June 29 and 30.”The spell of heavy rain will resume on June 29. We have issued an orange alert for five districts, Una, Bilaspur, Solan, Shimla, and Sirmaur for heavy to very heavy rainfall,” he said.
The forecast also suggests that Kullu, Mandi, and Shimla could experience significant rainfall during this period.
“Forecasts are being updated via SMS and are being regularly shared with the State Disaster Management Authority and other relevant agencies,” Sharma added.
The IMD has issued a public advisory, particularly for residents and tourists in vulnerable areas, to avoid rivers, streams, and steep slopes, citing a high probability of landslides during intense rainfall spells.
Situation in Gujarat
Gujarat witnessed widespread rainfall across the state on Thursday, bringing much-needed relief from the recent spell of heat. According to data released by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), rainfall was recorded in 144 talukas between 6:00 am and 4:00 pm on June 26.
The heaviest rainfall was reported from Maliya Hatina in Junagadh district, where 5.16 inches of rain was recorded in just 10 hours. Other regions also experienced significant downpours, including Mahuva in Surat (4.76 inches), Visavadar in Junagadh (4.65 inches), Chikhli in Navsari (4.2 inches), and Khergam (4.17 inches).
In Gir Somnath’s Talala, 3.9 inches were recorded, followed by Bardoli in Surat (3.46 inches), Ranavav in Porbandar (3.03 inches) and Kamrej in Surat (3.03 inches). The rain activity was not limited to South Gujarat. Parts of Devbhoomi Dwarka, Valsad, Jamnagar, and Navsari also received moderate to heavy rainfall.
Notably, Kalyanpur and Pardi each recorded 2.87 inches, Mangrol 2.64 inches, Surat city 2.76 inches, Gandevi 2.64 inches, and Jam Jodhpur 2.56 inches. Navsari city received 2.7 inches of rain, further confirming the widespread reach of the first wave of monsoon.
In total, more than 2 inches of rain were recorded in 16 talukas, while another 13 talukas saw over 1 inch, making it a wet start to Ashadh for most regions in Gujarat.
Red Alert across 8 districts
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for eight districts — Banaskantha, Patan, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Porbandar, and Morbi.
The warning comes under the department’s Nowcast system and is intended to alert local authorities and residents about the possibility of intense rainfall and adverse weather conditions in these areas.
In response to the widespread rainfall and the red alert issued for eight districts, the Gujarat government has activated its disaster response mechanism to ensure public safety and minimise disruptions.
Authorities in action
The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) is closely monitoring rainfall data and coordinating with local administrations in affected districts.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been kept on standby, especially in low-lying and flood-prone areas.
Control rooms have been set up, and emergency helplines have been activated across districts like Rajkot, Jamnagar, and Banaskantha.
