Gandhinagar, July 25 (IANS) Gujarat has recorded 55.26 per cent of its average seasonal rainfall as of Friday, with the Kutch region leading at 64 per cent.

The two are followed by South Gujarat (59.11 per cent), North Gujarat (54.04 per cent), Saurashtra (54.02 per cent), and East-Central Gujarat (51.64 per cent), according to data released by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC).

Due to widespread rainfall, 28 of the state’s 206 dams have reached full capacity, while the Sardar Sarovar Dam — considered the lifeline of Gujarat — is currently at 59.42 per cent storage, holding 1,98,503 million cubic feet (MCFT) of water.

The remaining 206 reservoirs collectively store 3,40,817 MCFT, which amounts to 61.06 per cent of their total capacity.

In terms of dam status, 48 dams have been placed under high alert, 19 under alert, and 23 under warning.

Of the total 206 dams, 62 are filled between 70 per cent and 100 per cent, 41 are between 50 per cent and 70 per cent, and 38 are between 25 per cent and 50 per cent full. The highest rainfall in the past 24 hours was reported in Tapi, Valsad, and Navsari districts.

The monsoon has also boosted agricultural activity across the state. As of Friday, kharif sowing has been completed in 58.38 lakh hectares, covering 68.23 per cent of the state’s cultivable land. Groundnut leads with 19.42 lakh hectares, followed closely by cotton at 19.62 lakh hectares.

Emergency response efforts have also been active. So far, 4,278 people have been relocated to safer locations across 10 districts, while 689 individuals have been rescued by local administration, NDRF, and SDRF teams.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an advisory warning fishermen along Gujarat’s coastline not to venture into the sea until July 28 due to rough conditions.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) has reported 100 per cent restoration of power supply in areas affected by rain-related disruptions. According to GSRTC, no bus routes or trips have been suspended due to weather as of Friday.

–IANS

janvi/dpb