Gandhinagar: Cyclonic Storm VAYU, which was being seen as a ‘havoc’ has in fact proved to be a ‘boon of sorts’ for water scarce Gujarat as it has caused more than five percent of the average seasonal rain in a matter of few days in this western state even as the ‘delayed’ south west monsoon is yet to make a formal entry here.

In the last few day (since June 12), from the days when VAYU was inching closer to Gujarat coast as a severe cyclonic storm in the Arabian see but changed course on June 13 and later returned in a weakened form of a low pressure area on June 17, the state has seen good amount of rain and the northern Gujarat and Saurashtra regions were the biggest beneficiaries.

Till this morning according to official figures the state has seen 5.14% of total seasonal rain this year. Region-wise Saurashtra has received almost 1/10th (9.86% to be precise) of its seasonal average so far under the impact of VAYU and the associated low pressure area. North Gujarat has seen 8%, Kutch 2.27%, East Central Gujarat 2.39% and South Gujarat where the rain volume remains comparatively large has seen 1.94%. In the last 24 hours a total of 209 talukas of all the 33 districts have seen rain with Vijapur in Mahesana district in North Gujarat seeing the maximum of 113 mm.

Notably, the normal time of arrival of monsoon in Gujarat is the third week of June but it has not made a formal entry as yet.

A farmer Jayanti Vachhani in Una taluka of Gir Somnath said that if the monsoon follows up quickly, this rain was enough to start the agriculture work.

DeshGujarat