Rain lashes Amreli,mercury up elsewhere

Following scorching heat earlier in the day,the city recorded heavy rainfall from about 5.30 pm accompanied by high velocity winds,leading to heavy water logging and power failure due to uprooting of many electricity poles and trees,blocking internal roads.

With the total disruption in power supply,MLA Dilip Sanghani said he had a word with Amreli district Collector,and that a disaster management team has been pressed into action.

Customers out on Diwali shopping had to run for cover even as shops downed their shutters.

“Several two-wheelers and a couple of four-wheelers were crushed under huge trees that were uprooted in district panchayat office,” said a resident Bharat Patel.

According to reports,the traffic on state highways including Amreli-Lathi road and Amreli-Liliya road came to a halt following uprooting of trees. Internal transportation was blocked too due to the same reason.

Widespread loss was also reported from market area,especially from Amreli Marketing Yard. The agriculture produce including cotton and wheat and vegetables that were kept in open have been reportedly flooded.

Almost half the weather stations across Gujarat recorded an upward departure from normal temperatures Monday,a phenomenon meteorologist said was normal for October when the season changes from monsoon to winter.

Manorama Mohanty,director of forecasts at the Indian Meteorology Department (IMD),said the phenomenon was normal around this time of year,and said dry winds from the north were raising temperatures over many parts of the state. “Maximum temperatures will fluctuate from normal,but minimum temperatures will remain the same,” she said.

She also said the precipitation in the southern districts was caused by an upper air circulation over Goa that threw south-westerly winds over the Arabian Sea,picking up moisture from there,and brought it over the region. Mohanty expected the rains would cease by Tuesday.

Ten out of 22 weather stations in Gujarat saw temperatures rising above normal levels,with Kandla recording 38 degrees Celsius and Porbander,36 degrees C – departure of 4 degrees from normal. Bhavnagar with 37 C, Rajkot 38 C and Deesa recording 39 C saw upward departure of 3 degrees Celsius from normal.