At least 27 people have died in Gujarat over the past three days as torrential monsoon rains battered parts of western India, state officials reported on Wednesday.
Disaster response teams have been mobilized to rescue stranded residents, with authorities warning of more heavy rainfall in the coming days. The death toll rose from 18 to 27 on Wednesday, with drowning accounting for most of the recent fatalities, according to a government statement.
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The towns of Palitana and Jesar were among the worst affected, receiving a staggering 867 millimeters (34 inches) of rain in just 24 hours on Tuesday.
State Relief Commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey stated that the initial deaths were caused by storms, lightning strikes, and building collapses triggered by severe weather. “The state is fully prepared to manage the situation, and inter-departmental efforts are being strengthened to ensure rapid relief and rescue operations,” Pandey said.
Rescue teams saved 18 farm laborers trapped in mango orchards in Gadhada and 22 residents in Surendranagar, where an overflowing river flooded homes.
India’s monsoon season, which runs from June to September, provides relief from scorching summer temperatures and is vital for water resources. However, the rains also bring deadly floods and landslides, claiming numerous lives annually across the country of 1.4 billion people.
This year, monsoon rains arrived eight days early—the earliest in 16 years—raising concerns about further extreme weather events.
