The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for parts of Gujarat and a yellow alert for several districts in Rajasthan, warning of heavy rainfall over the next 48 hours.
In Gujarat, the alert covers Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Mehsana, Patan, and parts of Saurashtra-Kutch, where very heavy downpours are expected.
Ahmedabad, Surendranagar, and Kheda are also likely to see strong showers, while South Gujarat remains under an orange alert. Fishermen have been advised to stay ashore due to rough seas. The state has already recorded 23 per cent above-normal rainfall this monsoon.
In Rajasthan, the Jaisalmer administration declared a holiday for all schools and Anganwadi centres on Monday citing student safety. “This order has been issued in light of the IMD alert, which anticipates heavy rainfall during the next 24 hours in the district,” ANI quoted district collector Pratap Singh as saying.
While students from classes 1 to 12 will stay home, staff have been asked to report for duty, with strict action warned against violations.
Dausa has also been severely affected, receiving over 177 mm of rainfall. The Haripura dam overflowed, causing waterlogging across several roads. “Relief teams are on alert, and residents are urged to report incidents to the control room,” district magistrate Devender Kumar said.
Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore visited flood-hit areas in Dausa on Sunday, announcing ₹16 crore for repairing nearly 650 schools and 16 dams.
According to the IMD, the deep depression over North Gujarat and adjoining southwest Rajasthan moved west-northwest at 8 kmph and, as of 5.30 am on September 8, was centred near the Rajasthan–Pakistan border, about 150 km southwest of Barmer and 180 km from both Jaisalmer and Bhuj. The system is expected to weaken into a depression by Monday afternoon as it moves into southeast Pakistan.
