Cyclone Vayu Won’t Make Landfall In Gujarat; Changes Course

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Ahmedabad:  Cyclone Vayu has changed its course and it is unlikely to hit the Gujarat coast, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday.

The Indian MeT Department forecasted that Cyclone ‘Vayu’ lay in the Arabian Sea at 05:30 hrs IST on Thursday, about 150 km south-southwest of Diu, 110 km southwest of Veraval (Gujarat) & 150 km south of Porbandar (Gujarat). It is likely to skirt Saurashtra coast with wind speed 135-145 kmph on Thursday afternoon.

“It (cyclone Vayu) may not make landfall. It will only skirt the coast. It has made a small deviation. But, its effect will be there with strong winds and heavy rain,” Secretary at the Ministry of Earth Sciences M Rajeevan told PTI. 

In the wake of severe cyclonic storm cyclone Vayu, Gujarat government has shifted around three lakh people from low-lying areas of Saurashtra and Kutch regions, officials said Wednesday.

IMD Additional Director General Devendra Pradhan said the cyclone will remain in the sea and move parallel to the Gujarat coast. “It has taken a slight westward movement. It will go parallel to the Gujarat coast,” Pradhan said.

“It is very likely to move north-northwestwards for some time and then northwestwards skirting the Saurashtra coast affecting Gir Somnath, Diu, Junagarh, Porbandar and Devbhoomi Dwarka with wind speed between 135 and 145 kmph, gusting to 160 kmph from June 13 afternoon,” the Cyclone Warning Division said in its 8:30 am bulletin.

The Gujarat Government said the cyclone is likely to affect Kutch, Morbi, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Devbhoomi-Dwarka, Porbandar, Rajkot, Amreli, Bhavnagar and Gir-Somnath districts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday advised people in his home state to follow real-time information being given by local agencies to stay safe.

“Praying for safety and well-being of all those affected by cyclone Vayu. The government and local agencies are providing real-time information, which I urge those in affected areas to closely follow,” Modi tweeted.

Similarly, Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted, “Gujarat has evacuated about 3 lakh people and Diu has evacuated over 10,000 people from low-lying areas to safer places. Indian Coast Guard, Navy, Army & Air Force units have also been put on standby. Aircraft and helicopters are carrying out aerial surveillance.”

Also Read: IMD Issues Thunderstorm Alert For 20 Odisha Districts

 

 

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