In response to a heavy to very heavy rainfall forecast issued by the IMD for Ahmedabad, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has announced the closure of all schools and colleges across the city on July 24. The precautionary measure prioritises student safety, with authorities urging citizens, parents, and educational institutions to take note of the decision. 

Additionally, municipal officials have appealed to the public to remain cautious during the rainy conditions, ignore rumors, and rely strictly on official updates.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel over the phone to inquire about the situation arising due to heavy rains in Gujarat. The Prime Minister assured all possible assistance from the Central Government for relief, rescue, and the safety of citizens in view of the situation arising in the state due to heavy rains. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also spoke with Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah regarding relief and rescue operations amid the heavy rains in the state. The Union Home Minister assured Gujarat of all necessary assistance in this regard," says Gujarat's information department.

Around 1,200 people have been rescued and hundreds more relocated to safer places as heavy showers battered south Gujarat districts, where Umbergaon taluka received over 1,100 mm rains in just 16 hours, an official said Thursday.

One rain-related death was reported in Tapi district, while teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the state's SDRF as well as the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Coast Guard were put on alert for rescue efforts, he said.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reviewed the rain situation and also spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who assured the Gujarat government of all necessary assistance. (PTI)

The Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained closed for the second consecutive day on Thursday following multiple landslides and shooting stones triggered by relentless rain in Jammu region.

The rains, which have been continuing for the past five days, have left 23 people dead and seven missing, officials said.

Rescue teams have intensified their search for the seven missing persons in the flood and landslide-hit border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, where additional personnel were deployed to scan flood channels and other vulnerable areas.

The 250-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, has been blocked at five places due to landslides, shooting stones and road erosion at multiple locations between Jakhani in Udhampur district and Banihal in Ramban district.

"Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is still closed for vehicular movement due to landslides and shooting stones at several locations," a traffic police advisory said.

Officials said restoration work was underway but continuous rainfall was hampering efforts to clear debris and repair damaged stretches.

Heavy rains battered several parts of south Gujarat with Valsad district being the worst-hit, where Umbergaon taluka recorded 1,100 mm downpour in just 16 hours till Thursday morning, prompting the authorities to shift thousands of people from the affected regions to safer places.

Incessant rains triggered widespread swelling of rivers and other water bodies in Surat, causing flooding in low-flying areas, officials said.

Ahmedabad also received 66 mm of rainfall in only two hours resulting in water logging on many roads and traffic jams.

Due to the prevailing rain situation in parts of south Gujarat, authorities cancelled or short-terminated several trains to Mumbai.

According to data provided by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), Valsad district was the worst affected by the recent spell of heavy rains, with its Umbergaon taluka receiving over 1,100 mm of rain between 6 am on Wednesday and 10 am on Thursday.

The Himachal Pradesh has suffered an estimated Rs 800-1,000 crore in losses due to monsoon-triggered disasters this season, even as the state has put in place a fully integrated disaster response mechanism with "top class" preparedness, Special Secretary of Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA) Pushpinder Rana said on Thursday.

Speaking to ANI, Rana said the state government had completed high-level preparedness meetings well in advance of the monsoon, with all Deputy Commissioners receiving necessary directions and support. He said district administrations are being provided immediate assistance based on their requirements to ensure a swift response to any emergency.

"Our disaster preparedness is top class; the entire response system is fully activated," said Pushpinder Rana

"Every department and every agency involved in disaster management is working in an integrated manner to respond to any emergency across Himachal Pradesh," Rana added.

He said the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) has adopted advanced digital tools that enable authorities to receive reports of any disaster from any corner of the state within seconds.

The southwest monsoon has intensified once again across Rajasthan, with the monsoon trough currently passing through Bikaner. As a result, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast active conditions across the state over the next four days and issued alerts for heavy to very heavy rainfall in several districts.

On Thursday, the IMD issued a heavy rainfall warning for 11 districts, while several other districts are likely to receive moderate to heavy showers accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning. During the past 24 hours, heavy rainfall was recorded in parts of Beawar and Bhilwara districts.

The highest rainfall was measured at Jagpura (Banswara), which was 167.0 mm, followed by 110 mm in Beawar town, 120 mm each in Asind and Bagore (Bhilwara), 81 mm in Aklera (Jhalawar), and 73 mm in Jhalrapatan. The downpour disrupted normal life in several areas and caused waterlogging in low-lying localities.

Rainfall was also reported from parts of Dholpur, Jaipur, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, and Baran districts.

Torrential downpours in Kalyan taluka of Maharashtra's Thane district have submerged key bridges, severely impacting traffic and connectivity in the region, an official said on Thursday.

Kalyan Tehsildar Vikas Garudkar said that the Runde bridge on the Titwala-Falegaon road went completely underwater around 8 am due to rising water levels in the Kalu river.

"As a precautionary measure to ensure public safety, the Runde bridge has been completely closed to all vehicular traffic," Tehsildar Garudkar stated.

The Walkas-Vehare bridge in the taluka has also been rendered impassable and shut to traffic for the past five hours following heavy rains, the official added.

"For residents travelling to and from Runde and Falegaon villages, the alternative Danbav via Khadavli road route is open and fully operational," Garudkar said, adding that authorities are closely monitoring the water levels across local rivers and streams.

The Shimla Met Office on Wednesday issued a yellow alert for heavy rains in isolated parts of Himachal Pradesh till July 28.

The forecast comes even as three persons were injured, and 12 more houses were damaged in the Boh Valley of Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district amid overnight rain, officials said.

With this, the total number of houses damaged in the valley has climbed to 18. Six houses were washed away in a downpour on Tuesday.

The meteorological department warned of low to moderate flash flood risk in parts of Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur and Kullu districts over Wednesday and Thursday

Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Kamlesh Kumar Pant on Wednesday chaired a virtual high-level review meeting with all Deputy Commissioners to assess the prevailing monsoon situation in the state and directed district administrations to remain on the highest level of alert in view of heavy rainfall and related disasters.

The meeting reviewed the overall monsoon scenario across Himachal Pradesh, including rain-induced incidents, relief and restoration measures, road connectivity, electricity and drinking water supply, and the preparedness of district administrations.