Umergam records second highest 24-hr rain ever recorded in India

Umergam in Gujarat’s Valsad district recorded 1,064mm of rainfall in the 24 hours till 8:30am on July 23, making it the third highest 24-hour rainfall ever in India.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the extreme rainfall to a combination of the monsoon trough, a large-scale cyclonic circulation, and a western disturbance feeding moisture to southern Gujarat.

The highest ever daily rainfall was 1,563.3mm at Sohra (Cherrapunji) on June 16, 1995, and the second highest was 1,168.5mm at Aminidivi (Lakshadweep) on May 6, 2004.

Forecasts indicate active monsoon conditions likely to persist over northwest, central, and adjoining north peninsular India, and east and northeast India for the next three to four days.

An orange alert is in place for Valsad on Friday, with heavy to very heavy rainfall expected; intensity is predicted to reduce and move towards Rajasthan.