Heatwave Disaster: South Gujarat Plunges into Darkness, Recovery Efforts in Full Swing!In the midst of record-breaking heat, South Gujarat has been immobilized by a catastrophic power outage, which has completely shut down cities including Surat, Tapi, Bharuch, Navsari, and Rajpipla. Businesses and small mills are forced to close as temperatures rise above 40°C, leaving thousands of homes without refrigerators, fans, or air conditioners.

Residents and business owners panicked when the power was abruptly shut off without any warning. People who are angry have congregated outside the headquarters of Torrent Power and the Gujarat Electricity Board (GEB) to demand an explanation.

• The cause of the outage is still being investigated, according to officials from both agencies.

• People are unsure of how long they will have to endure the intense heat since no projected time for restoration has been provided.

“We are looking into what caused this unplanned downtime. When power is restored, residents are encouraged to turn off high-power devices such as computers, TVs, air conditioners, and refrigerators to prevent power spikes.

Heatwave Struggles Are Made Worse by Power Outages :

With temperatures in many places reaching over 40°C, South Gujarat is already under a Yellow Alert for a severe heatwave issued by the IMD. Many are in a state of shock and relief because to the abrupt blackout.

(1) At the moment of the power outage, Surat recorded 39°C and 65% humidity.

(2) Without cooling devices, the temperature in surat was approx 39°C Bharuch and Ankleshwar was 42°C, which was almost intolerable.

(3) In certain places, heatstroke incidents were reported when temperatures in Navsari and Rajpipla surpassed 38°C.

Heatwave Disaster – Affected Mills & Businesses :

Workers at a number of textile mills and small businesses in Surat and Bharuch are waiting for the power to be restored. Due to their inability to function without energy, other stores have also had to close early.

“All of a sudden, everything shut down as we were working on urgent orders. Without electricity, our machines are worthless, and we don’t know when it will return,” a textile mill owner in Pandesara, Surat, stated.

Heatwave Disaster – What Are the Next Steps for Residents?

When the power comes back on, turn off computers, refrigerators, and air conditioners to avoid damaging them.
Stay hydrated: Drink lots of water when the temperature is high.
To stay cool, use damp towels or fans that run on batteries.

✔️ To maintain chilling, avoid opening refrigerators too often.
✔️ For restoration news, follow GEB & Torrent Power’s official updates.

Heatwave Disaster – When Will There Be Power Again?

There is currently no official timeline available. The major failure’s underlying cause is still being looked at by power companies. Residents are asked to exercise patience and observe safety protocols.

Live updates on this evolving topic will continue to be provided by Surat Updates.

Heatwave Disaster – Current Status :

The electricity supply has mostly been restored in the impacted districts as of this morning. In order to maintain stability, authorities are keeping a careful eye on the situation and looking into the underlying reasons to stop similar incidents in the future.

It is recommended that residents follow government sources to be informed of any new developments or advisories.

Heatwave Disaster – Cause of the Outage :

The State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC) reported a sudden 4,500 MW drop in load at approximately 2:50 PM. This was attributed to a system failure in either Maharashtra or South Gujarat. The significant voltage drop caused by this disturbance caused seven 400 kV transmission lines to trip, resulting in the shutdown of power plants such as Ukai, Kakrapar, and Surat Lignite Power Plant (SLPP).

Heatwave Disaster – Impact on Essential Services:

Water Supply: Water distribution in a number of locations was delayed as a result of the disruption. Some areas suffered protracted shortages, despite efforts to quickly restore supply once electricity was restored.

Public Transportation: When point-of-sale systems at a number of Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) stops stopped working, city bus services encountered difficulties. Additionally, there were obstacles to electric bus charging, which caused delays in travels.

Industrial Operations: The power outage caused factories and other industrial facilities in Surat, Vapi, Valsad, Ankleshwar, and Rajpipla to cease operations. Equipment damage was recorded by certain industries, particularly those that used machinery that was susceptible to power fluctuations.

A major power outage that occurred Wednesday afternoon interrupted daily life in several South Gujarati districts, including Surat, Bharuch, Navsari, Dang, Tapi, and Valsad. Residents’ misery was exacerbated by the blackout, which happened as temperatures rose to about 40 degrees Celsius.