AHMEDABAD: As heavy showers continued to lash parts of Gujarat, the toll in rain-related incidents rose to 31, with 12 more deaths reported from Saurashtra region on Sunday while eleven persons, including ten fishermen, have been missing, officials said.
The Met department has predicted heavy rainfall at isolated places in Saurashtra and Kutch regions in the next 24 hours.
On Friday and Saturday, 19 deaths were reported in rain-related mishaps, including 16 in wall/building collapse incidents, as Saurashtra and central Gujarat received heavy showers.
Three boats capsized amid rough weather and storm in Arabian sea off the Porbandar coast in Saurashtra region, leaving six fishermen dead, a police officer said on Sunday.
He said two boats with nine fishermen on board have been missing even as an Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship has rescued another boat.
"Effort are on to rescue the nine crew members of the two missing boats and a missing fisherman even as the total of 14 fishing boats with 79 crew on board have been safely rescued," he said.
Besides, six people were swept away in a strong water current in Falku river in Surendranagar district of Saurashtra region, another police official said.
"Several fishermen from Porbandar district and Veraval in neighbouring Gir Somnath district who ventured into the sea on small fishing boats on Friday morning got caught in the rough weather and storm on Friday evening before they could return," said Porbandar Superintendent of Police Parthrajsinh Gohil.
"Three boats capsized off the state coast due to bad weather and five fishermen drowned. Their bodies have been recovered. The other fishermen on these boats swam to safety," he said.
"An ICG ship rescued one boat. As of now, two boats with nine fishermen are still missing and the search operation is on to locate them," Gohil said.
In another incident, seven people from Vavdi village in Surendranagar were swept away in the strong current of Falku river when they were trying to cross a causeway on Saturday evening, said an official at Dhrangadhra taluka police station.
"Six bodies have so far been recovered. One person is still missing," he said.
Several parts of central Gujarat and Saurashtra and Kutch regions have been receiving heavy rainfall since Friday.
In the last 24 hours ending 8 am on Sunday, Nakhatrana taluka in Kutch district received 321 mm rainfall, Tankara in Morbi district got 268 mm rain while Dhrangadhra taluka in Surendranagar recorded 209 mm downpour, according to data available at the state emergency operation centre said.
Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Saurashtra and Kutch regions in the next 24 hours, an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) here said.
"Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea as squally weather is likely to prevail along and off the Gujarat coast on Sunday and Monday due to active monsoon conditions," he said.