Surat: South Gujarat reeled under an intense monsoon spell on Friday as parts of Navsari and Tapi districts received up to 247mm of rain in 14 hours. With roads submerged, traffic disrupted and more than 140 panchayat roads closed, authorities placed disaster management and NDRF teams on alert amid a red alert warning.Rain battered Navsari and Tapi districts, with Vansda, Chikhli, Valod, Gandevi, Vyara and Khergam talukas recording between seven and 9.72 inches of rainfall.Between 6am and 8pm on Friday, Vansda received the highest rainfall at 247mm, followed by Chikhli with 243mm and Valod with 233mm. In Chikhli alone, 200mm of rain fell within just two hours between 8am and 10am.The downpour disrupted normal life across the region. Traffic snarls were reported on the Vapi-Shamlaji highway near Unai in Navsari district as waterlogging affected vehicular movement.The Navsari roads and buildings department closed 73 panchayat roads due to overflowing water, fallen trees and damage caused by the rain. After a red alert was sounded, district disaster management officials and NDRF teams remained on standby in Navsari.Tapi district also witnessed widespread disruption, with authorities closing 74 panchayat roads because of the heavy rain.
