According to association president Hansraj Jain, the losses can be assessed only after water has been pumped out from all markets. “Only then will we get the details of how many shops were inundated. Once we have that data, we will urge the government to compensate us.”With their shops and godowns in floodwaters, hundreds of textile traders here are staring at losses worth crores of rupees. Tuesday’s rain has left several market areas reeling, with water reaching a few feet deep in many basements.Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTTA) secretary Dinesh Katariya said: “Thousands of shops in different markets are flooded, causing losses worth hundreds of crores of rupees to traders and the industry.”Surat is a manufacturing hub for synthetic sarees and embellished dress materials. Finished products from here find space on shelves across the country.Also Read | 'Lost my 2 sons': 21 dead in Surat floods, police say toll likely to riseTraders say it would be far more cost-effective if they sold the damaged fabrics without reprocessing them.Sunil Jain, who owns a shop at Raghukul market, said: “The market is situated on the banks of Mithi Creek. As the water in the creek rose, it entered our basements. The market has more than 500 shops and godowns. I have around 2,500 sarees in stock, and all of them have suffered damages. I have no other option but to sell them at a cheap rate. I must pay off my house loan… At present, we are removing the water stuck in basements. The market is under 7-foot-deep water.”The city has around 240 textile markets, which house 75,000 shops, centered around Ring Road and Saroli area. As per the traders’ association, the industry manufactures six lakh crore metres of fabrics every year and has an annual turnover of Rs 1.50 lakh crore.The past week saw 30% of the season’s overall rain activity, municipal commissioner M Nagarajan said. On Tuesday alone, the city experienced 14 inches of rain, which inundated several areas and caused flooding in the creeks. The rainwater entered shops in commercial complexes and houses in the low-lying areas.Story continues below this adAlso Read | No let-up in rain in Surat, Navsari; hundreds displaced, 3 more deadThe traders said they did not get enough time to save their wares “as the water gushed in”. On Wednesday, they deployed pumps, some from the municipal fire department and others from private parties.FOSTTA secretary said, “Most textile markets have upper and underground basements, which house shops and godowns. The underground basement of one complex can have 60 to 250 shops. The heavy rainfall on Tuesday impacted thousands of shops and godowns in 50 to 60 markets. Traders keep a stock of around 2,000 to 5,000 clothes in their shops, and 50,000 more in godowns. Pumping out water from the shops is still in progress today.”According to association president Hansraj Jain, the losses can be assessed only after water has been pumped out from all markets. “Only then will we get the details of how many shops were inundated. Once we have that data, we will urge the government to compensate us.”Also Read | Surat saw 20 inches of rain since Monday: Civic body chiefHe added that the traders could not bear the cost of reprocessing the damaged materials. “To get them reprocessed, they must be sent back to the dyeing and printing units, which charge Rs. 20 to 30 per metre. Sarees and some dresses have additional work like laces and sequins. So, they cannot be reprocessed.”Story continues below this adMeanwhile, Surat Textile Goods Transport Association president Yuvraj Deshle said, “For the last two days, the entire transport network has been affected. Not a single parcel could be delivered. Over 200 trucks are parked in Saroli. Usually, 250 trucks loaded with clothes leave Surat every day for other states. Today, only 5-8 percent of parcels reached us for delivery to southern states. Workers and truck drivers are sitting idle.”Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs. Expertise Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs. Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including: Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives. Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress. Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli). Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Surat