Rajkot, July 24 In the wake of a relentless deluge that has been battering Gujarat's Saurashtra region for six consecutive days, official reports have confirmed five additional fatalities which took the overall death tollto 98 since the onset of the monsoon season.
Of the five fatalities, three hailed from Rajkot district, while the other two were from Junagadh city.
At least two more people are reportedly missing in the region, highlighting the escalating severity of the flood crisis.
The inundation has rendered normal life stagnant in the region, necessitating the evacuation of around 5,000 residents to safer grounds while hundreds more were rescued from perilous situations.
The region has been experiencing heavy downpours in July, clocking a substantial 354 mm of rain, a sharp increase from June's 243 mm, according to meteorological data.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for several parts of the state, indicating an impending threat of more heavy rains extending to Tuesday.
The IMD's Regional Director, Manorama Mohanty, emphasised the crucial nature of this warning.
On Monday, areas of concern highlighted include Dwarka, Porbandar, Mahesana, Sabarkantha, and Banaskantha, each marked with an organized alert, albeit without a red warning.
Several other districts, including Arvalli, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Navsari, Valsad, Junagadh and Gir Somnath are also expected to witness sporadic heavy rains.
The forecast for Tuesday points to isolated heavy showers over Bhavnagar, Navsari and Valsad.
Residents are urged to remain cautious and heed local advisories and weather updates.
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