Incessant rains lash Ahmedabad as Cyclone Tauktae moves northward

Many areas of Ahmedabad city were inundated with knee-deep water following incessant downpour since afternoon as cyclone Tauktae passed northward along the district’s periphery. The city received a staggering 75.69 mm of rain between 6 am and 4 pm, said Municipal Commissioner Mukesh Kumar. The rain intensified after 3 pm as forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), he said.

“Over one inches (30 mm) of rain in the last one hour (till 4 pm) alongwith high speed winds at 55 to 60 kilometres per hour. Total three inches of rain since morning,” he tweeted.

“Rainfall has intensified in the last one hour. Stay put inside and be safe,” the commissioner said, adding that the civic engineering and solid waste department teams were working to clear water from flooded areas.

A latest IMD update said the cyclone, centred 105 km south-southwest of Ahmedabad, was moving towards Banaskantha district in the north. Many areas of the city including Anandnagar, Bopal, SG Highway, Prahladnagar, Vejalpur and Science City witnessed waterlogging.

Traffic on several roads was hindered due to fallen trees and hoardings.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has lowered the water level of the Sabarmati river to 130 feet from 134 feet so that the water in low-lying areas drains off quickly, said Kumar.

The water level of the river which passes through the city is managed by manipulating the gates of a barrage on the outskirts.