Sandstorms and Rain Sweep Through Gujarat; Impacting Power, Farming

Ahmedabad, May 14: Strong winds, sandstorms and rain struck Gujarat on Monday, disrupting daily life and agriculture across the state. On Monday evening, winds moving with a speed of nearly 40 km/hr swept through Ahmedabad, reducing visibility and creating hazardous conditions leading to traffic congestion and rains.

In Chhotaudepur district, the unseasonal rain complete with hail, posed a threat to farmers' livelihoods, with Kawant taluka recording 6mm of rainfall between 4 and 6 p.m. The unexpected rain, while cooling the heat, has put nearly 8,000 hectares of summer crops at risk, although District Agriculture Officer D.S. Panchal noted that no immediate damage has been reported.

However, Panchal cautioned that continuous heavy rainfall could potentially harm the crops, which include maize and fodder. The sudden weather shift was accompanied by rainfall in several districts, including Botad, Navsari, Bhavnagar, Sabarkantha and Dangs, with Botad receiving the heaviest downpour of up to 20mm.

The villages in several districts also reported power cuts due to these weather conditions. The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a forecast predicting light thunderstorms and moderate rains in the next few days, which are likely to affect isolated places in districts such as Banaskantha, Patan, and Mehsana, among others, over the next three hours.

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