Ahmedabad battered by record rainfall; schools shut, rescues under way
Ahmedabad experienced severe waterlogging on Friday after 294.6 mm of rain fell in the 24 hours ending 6 am, the fourth-highest single-day rainfall recorded by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The downpour disrupted normal life, with submerged roads, closed underpasses, and stranded vehicles across the city.
The IMD reported that the rainfall between 6 am Thursday and 6 am Friday was the highest in Ahmedabad since 2000, when 325.9 mm was recorded. Many residential areas, including Sabarmati, Chharanagar, and Rabarivas, were flooded, prompting residents to seek refuge on rooftops.
The Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services team rescued nearly a dozen residents from these areas early Friday morning. “After receiving a call from Paldi Control, the team found that Sabarmati, Chharanagar, Rabarivas were flooded and people climbed onto the rooftops to save their lives. The fire team rescued them and sent them to the homes of locals and relatives,” an AMC official said.
In response to the situation, city authorities declared a holiday for schools and colleges. Traffic was diverted from several underpasses, and citizens were advised to avoid non-essential travel. The civic body’s control room received multiple calls for assistance.
The downpour, which began on Thursday night, continued intermittently through Friday. Ahmedabad’s drainage system struggled to cope with the volume of water, leading to waterlogging in low-lying areas. The IMD has forecast more rain in the coming days, keeping the city on alert.
