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.
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