Monsoon intensifies: IMD sounds red alert for Gujarat

Darkening skies and swelling monsoon clouds have put Gujarat on high alert, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a red warning for heavy rains over the next 48 hours.

The alert, triggered by a persistent low-pressure system and an active monsoon trough, covers northern districts including Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Mehsana, Patan, and parts of Saurashtra-Kutch, where extremely heavy downpours are likely. Ahmedabad, Surendranagar, and Kheda are also expected to receive significant rainfall, while South Gujarat remains under an orange alert.

Officials cautioned that rainfall intensity may ease after two days but urged vigilance in the immediate period. Fishermen have been advised against venturing into the sea due to rough conditions. Gujarat has already recorded 23 per cent above-average rainfall this monsoon season.

Earlier forecasts indicated widespread showers across much of the state, including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Narmada, Bharuch, Navsari, Valsad, Tapi, and Dang, as well as Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Kutch, and Dwarka. The current monsoon trough stretches from Ganganagar to the northeast Bay of Bengal, with a cyclonic circulation active over the Bay and Myanmar coast.

This year’s rainfall has been both abundant and uneven. By early September, Gujarat had received more than 92 per cent of its seasonal quota, with North Gujarat recording over 96 per cent. Saurashtra and Kutch, traditionally water-scarce, witnessed better-than-expected rains, reversing deficits seen in past years.

Intense spells in July and August, fueled by low-pressure systems over the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, filled major reservoirs — Sardar Sarovar alone reached 91 per cent storage — while 123 of the state’s 206 reservoirs touched high-alert levels.

Yet the bounty has come with challenges. Several districts faced flooding, crop losses, and waterlogging after successive heavy spells, while others saw intermittent dry stretches that stressed kharif crops. Gujarat’s 2025 monsoon, abundant but erratic, has underscored how climate variability continues to shape the state’s weather, agriculture, and water security.

With IANS inputs