Gujarat issues stay-indoors advisory as IMD sounds red alert for Surat

The Gujarat government on Friday urged residents of Surat city and district to remain indoors for the next 24 hours after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across the region.

Authorities have stepped up emergency preparedness, initiating evacuations from flood-prone localities, activating round-the-clock monitoring and deploying disaster response teams ahead of the expected downpour.

Minister of State for Health Praful Pansheriya reviewed the preparedness measures at the Surat District Disaster Control Room, where he was briefed by District Collector Tejas Parmar on weather conditions and the arrangements for relief and rescue operations.

Pansheriya said the state government and district administration had completed advance preparations in response to the weather warning and appealed to residents to avoid unnecessary travel and stay away from rivers, creeks and other vulnerable locations.

The administration has advised people to keep sufficient stocks of essential supplies, including drinking water and milk, to meet their needs over the next 24 hours.

As a precaution, the Surat Collector directed textile units, diamond factories and industrial associations to declare a holiday, while evacuations have begun in low-lying and previously flooded areas, including Velanja.

The state government has cancelled all leave for government officials and employees across Surat to ensure adequate manpower for emergency response. The Surat Municipal Corporation, district administration and police have also intensified preparedness, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) placed on standby.

Officials said disaster management personnel and local administrative offices would continue operating round the clock to monitor the evolving situation.

The minister also warned residents against acting on unverified information circulating on social media, urging them to rely only on official advisories issued by the district administration. He said legal action would be taken against those found spreading false rumours.

With IANS inputs