Surat: The city and South Gujarat region received heavy rain on Monday after a dry spell that lasted over a week. The city got 45mm of rain in the early hours of Monday, while Vapi in Valsad district got 63mm. The towns of Umargam in Valsad and Jalapore in Navsari also received heavy rain, 60mm and 45mm respectively. Navsari town reported 43mm of rain, while Walia in Bharuch got 33mm. These showers gave citizens much-needed relief from the heat. The dry period had also allowed the civic and highway authorities to undertake repairs on potholed roads. In the city, the roads were badly damaged due to ongoing metro construction work. The use of heavy vehicles for construction projects worsened road conditions. During the dry spell, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) also carried out a drive to remove encroachments from creeks. These previously contributed to flooding in the city after the heavy rain received on June 23. These encroachments on creeks were identified by the irrigation department after which their removal was ordered. The rain on Monday did not cause any significant disruptions in the day, allowing the city to continue its recovery and repair efforts.
