Van swept away in Botad flash flood, leaving 2 dead and 5 missing amid intense monsoon rains in Gujarat
Two fatalities and five missing persons were reported in Botad district, Gujarat, India after flash floods swept away a passenger van during 190.5 mm (7.5 inches) of monsoon rainfall on June 16, 2025. Intense precipitation has caused dam overflows, river surges, and widespread urban flooding.
Van that got flooded away resulting in 2 deaths in Botad, Gujrat on June 16, 2025. Credit: Info Botad, Government of Gujrat
Heavy monsoon rainfall on June 16 triggered severe flooding across Botad in Gujarat, India, submerging roads, damaging infrastructure, and resulting in at least two deaths as a van carrying nine passengers was swept away by flash floods. Two survivors from the incident have been rescued, and five passengers still remain missing.
Several bikes and cars were also seen stranded in the floods across several areas in the city. Botad received 247 mm (9.72 inches) of rainfall between 18:00 on June 16 and 04:00 on June 17.
The ongoing downpour is also raising pressure on regional dams. Surendranagar’s Dholi-Dhaja Dam has already breached its capacity, and Shetrunji Dam in Bhavnagar is on the verge of doing the same. Khambhada Dam gates were opened to manage excess water in Botad, while rivers such as the Ghela at Ramghat Dam overflowed in the district.
In neighboring Amreli district, two fatalities occurred in separate rain-related vehicle accidents; one between Utiya and Rajparda near Rajula, and another in Kundla village near Babra.
The Gujarat government deployed the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to assist in the search and rescue operations. Relief and evacuation activities are focused on low-lying zones and severely inundated rural blocks.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red alerts for Botad along with several other districts in the state (Ahmedabad, Anand, Bharuch, Surendranagar, Bhavnagar, Porbandar, and Junagadh). Warnings of further heavy rainfall and wind gusts up to 40 km/h (25 mph) are also in place.
Rainfall and overflow have disrupted connectivity across multiple areas in Botad, and weather forecasts indicate sustained precipitation through the next 24 to 48 hours.
My passions include trying my best to save a dying planet, be it through carpooling or by spreading awareness about it. Research comes naturally to me, complemented by a keen interest in writing and journalism. Guided by a curious mind and a drive to look beyond the surface, I strive to bring thoughtful attention and clarity to subjects across Earth, sciences, environment, and everything in between.
Published in the last 24 hours
- In September 1859, a solar storm lit up the night sky so brightly that gold miners in the Rocky Mountains woke up after midnight and started cooking breakfast, convinced the aurora glowing over their camp was the sunrise Epicenter
- A patch of warm Pacific water that could become the strongest El Niño in more than 70 years sits thousands of miles from any American town, yet it is already the main reason NOAA expects a wetter winter across the South and a milder one across the North
- A 19-year-old Nebraska teacher reportedly tied her pupils together with twine and led them to safety through a blizzard in January 1888 Epicenter
- NASA built the Opportunity rover to last 90 days on Mars, and Martian winds helped keep it alive for nearly 15 years by blowing dust off its solar panels, until a planet-wide dust storm in 2018 blocked sunlight and silenced the rover Epicenter
