The 2025 monsoon in Gujarat has been anything but ordinary. From floods in some regions to drought-like conditions in others, the season has tested both people and infrastructure. Now, with a depression brewing over North Gujarat, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded fresh warnings.

Why are fishermen being warned?

The IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea between 7 and 10 September, citing rough weather conditions triggered by the depression system. Strong winds and turbulent waves are expected to lash coastal regions, raising risks for small fishing boats.

How full are the dams?

Water levels in Gujarat’s reservoirs are running high. The Sardar Sarovar Dam currently stands at 91.26 per cent capacity, storing more than 3,09,000 mcft of water. Out of 206 reservoirs,

• 123 are on high alert,
• 20 on alert, and
• 14 at warning levels.

Altogether, the state’s dams hold nearly 83.87 per cent of total storage capacity, a boon for summer needs but a challenge for safe management.

What has the rain done so far?

Heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours has added to the pressure. Since June, over 5,500 people have been shifted to safer locations and more than 1,000 rescued from flood-hit areas. Relief work is underway with 12 NDRF and 22 SDRF teams deployed across districts.

This year’s monsoon has swung between extremes:

• June was the wettest in a decade, delivering one-third of the seasonal quota in just 20 days.
• By mid-July, rainfall touched nearly 54 per cent of seasonal average, though with big regional gaps.
• By August, Gujarat had crossed 64 per cent of average rainfall, but while Devbhoomi Dwarka saw a surplus of 2,000 mm, districts like Amreli and Gir Somnath stayed rain-deficient.
• As September began, the state had already covered nearly 90 per cent of its target, with forecasts predicting above-normal rainfall at 109 per cent of the Long Period Average for the month.

What’s happening with the depression?

The IMD has confirmed that the depression over southwest Rajasthan moved south-southwest at 15 kmph and is now centred over North Gujarat, close to Deesa. It lies about 70 km northeast of Radhanpur and 270 km east-northeast of Bhuj.

The system is very likely to move further west-southwest in the next two days, bringing more heavy showers over Gujarat, Saurashtra, Kutch and parts of Rajasthan.

Inputs from agencies