At least 14 dead due to heavy rain in India's Gujarat

By Sumit Khanna

At least 14 people died and 16 others were injured in the past two days as heavy pre-monsoon showers lashed India's western state of Gujarat, state officials said on Tuesday.

Television visuals showed fallen trees and damaged crops as heavy lightning and thunderstorms impacted several districts.

The unseasonal rain across most of the state was driven by a cyclonic circulation in the neighbouring parts of Pakistan and India's Rajasthan state, according to India's Meteorological Department.

The weather forecaster has forecast more rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds across Gujarat until Thursday.

Local officials told Reuters that 14 people were killed and 16 injured so far.

"We are awaiting reports on crop damage," said Anju Sharma, secretary of the state's agriculture department. Gujarat is a major producer of cotton, cumin and rice.

"District administrations will assess the losses and send us their reports today."

Last month, unseasonable heavy rain across eastern and central India and parts of Nepal killed more than 100 people.