Cyclone Nilofar: Govt to shift people to safe locations in Kutch

Kutch collector M S Patel says they would begin evacuating people from coastal regions from Tuesday

The Gujarat government has begun preparations to face cyclone ‘Nilofar’ in the Arabian sea which intensified into a sever cyclonic storm today morning. Kutch district administration has geared up to shift people from coastal areas to safe locations.

According to the advisory issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) today the cyclonic storm, ‘Nilofar’ over westcentral and adjoining southwest Arabian Sea had moved northwards and intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and lay centred at 1,170 km southwest of Naliya (Gujarat), 1,230 km south-southwest of Karachi (Pakistan) and 880 km east-southeast of Salalah (Oman).

“It would intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm during next 24 hrs. It would move initially northwards during next 24 hrs and then recurve northeastwards and cross north Gujarat and adjoining Pakistan coast around Naliya by October 31 morning,” the advisory stated. However, as the system would come closer to Gujarat coast, it would weaken and cross the coast as a severe cyclonic storm, it added.

The weather department has warned that under the influence of the system, rainfall at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy falls would occur along coastal districts of Saurashtra and Kutch from October 30 morning. “Intensity would increase gradually with heavy to very heavy fall at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls from night of October 30 with squally winds speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph which would commence along and off Gujarat coast from October 30 morning and is likely to become 100-110 kmph gusting to 125 kmph at the time of landfall,” IMD added.

Kutch collector M S Patel said that they would begin work of evacuating people from the coastal regions from Tuesday. “We have send our talatis and other taluka level officers to identify the places where evacuation is required. The shifting of people would begin from tomorrow morning,” he said, adding that number of people to be shifted would be known once the work begins.

Fishermen have also been advised not to venture into the sea. “Sea condition along and off Gujarat coast will be rough to very rough from October 30 morning and would become very high to phenomenal from afternoon of October 30,” the weather department said.

Centre gears up to provide help

The Centre on Monday reviewed the preparedness of relief and rescue measures taken by Gujarat and offered all full help to the state in the wake of impending cyclonic storm Nilofar, which will make its landfall on Friday. At an emergency meeting, the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), headed by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth, reviewed the precautionary relief and rescue measures in the coastal districts of Gujarat. The Cabinet Secretary, in a video conference with the Gujarat Chief Secretary, took stock of the various steps taken to meet any challenge arising out of the cyclone, an official spokesperson said. (PTI)