Gujarat was lashed by unseasonal thunderstorms and dust storms on Monday evening, leaving 14 people dead and 16 others injured across various districts. The intense storms, uncommon for this time of year, brought heavy rainfall, powerful winds, and hail, leading to significant damage and widespread disruption. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted thunderstorms, lightning, and wind speeds reaching up to 50–60 kmph across the state for the next few days.
As many as 168 out of 253 talukas in the state received unseasonal rains in the last 24 hours, with Kheda, Gandhinagar, Mehsana and Vadodara districts getting 25 to 40 mm rains, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said in its update.
Officials said strong winds uprooted trees, hoardings, and pillars, and parts of houses collapsed in several districts, leaving many injured.
According to the SEOC, thirteen persons died in rain-related incidents such as lightning, electrocution, and collapse of trees, houses and hoardings in Ahmedabad, Anand, Kheda, Dahod, Aravalli and Vadodara districts of Gujarat on Monday, and one person died in a lightning strike in Ahmedabad's Viramgam on Sunday.
Four deaths were reported in Kheda district, three in Vadodara, two each in Ahmedabad, Dahod and Aravalli, and one in Anand district, it stated.
Four people died as trees fell on them, while two were killed after coming under hoardings. Two died due to electrocution, three due to lightning, and three others after parts of houses fell on them, the SEOC said.
More than a dozen huts were destroyed in a fire as strong winds caused it to spread rapidly at Limkheda in Dahod district, officials said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorms with lightning and strong winds of up to 50-60 kmph across many parts of the state over the next few days.
Isolated parts of Banaskantha, Kutch, Sabarkantha, Aravalli and Anand districts are likely to receive heavy rainfall in the next three days, it said.
Daytime temperatures dropped in parts of Gujarat due to unseasonal showers. Temperatures are likely to fall by 3-5 degrees Celsius over the next few days, the IMD said.
(With inputs from PTI)