Red alert in Gujarat for extreme monsoon rain, flood risk. What's happening?

Gujarat is set for another spell of dangerous monsoon weather after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for several districts, warning of extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and a risk of flash floods over the next 24 to 48 hours.The warning comes as a well-marked low-pressure area, which developed from a depression over central India, continues to move west-northwest towards Gujarat, intensifying monsoon activity across the state. People walk on a waterlogged road, in Surat, Gujarat. (Photo: PTI) The IMD has cautioned that isolated places could receive extremely heavy rainfall, leading to waterlogging, flooding in low-lying areas and disruption to normal life.The weather department has also flagged a flash flood risk for several districts, including Ahmedabad, Aravalli, Gandhinagar, Navsari, Surat, Vadodara and numerous others, including Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman. WHY IS IT RAINING INTENSELY IN GUJARAT?According to the IMD, the weather system is expected to weaken gradually as it moves across Gujarat, but it will continue to pump large amounts of moisture into the region, sustaining widespread rainfall and thunderstorms. Strong winds and lightning are also likely in many places. A satellite image shows the weather systems over the Indian subcontinent. (Photo: IMD) In other words, the ongoing extreme monsoon rain is expected to trigger flash floods, urban flooding, overflowing rivers, traffic disruptions and damage to vulnerable infrastructure, especially if intense rain falls within a short period.ANOTHER WARNING FOR GUJARAT The latest alert comes after Gujarat witnessed another active phase of the southwest monsoon over the past week, with several districts recording heavy to very heavy rainfall.Authorities in parts of the state have remained on alert as repeated spells of rain have already caused waterlogging and swollen rivers in several areas.The IMD has advised residents to keep track of official weather updates as conditions may change rapidly.District administrations have also stepped up preparedness in vulnerable areas amid the possibility of flash floods and localised inundation.While the IMD has forecast below-normal rainfall across India during August, it has also noted that active monsoon systems can still produce short periods of extremely heavy rain over individual regions.Gujarat is expected to remain one of the key hotspots over the weekend as the rain-bearing system moves across western India.- EndsPublished On: Aug 1, 2026 11:59 IST