Cyclone Vayu: Amit Shah chairs high-level meeting to review preparedness

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness of state and central agencies concerned to deal with the situation arising out of cyclonic storm 'Vayu'.

According to an official statement, Shah directed senior officers to take all possible measures to ensure that people are safely evacuated and to ensure the maintenance of all essential services such as power, telecommunications, health, and drinking water. He also asserted that these facilities be restored immediately in the event of damages caused to them.

The Home Minister also directed for 24x7 functioning of control rooms.

The meeting was attended by Home Secretary, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, and other senior officers of Indian Meteorological Department and Home Ministry.

Later today, the Cabinet Secretary will chair a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee to review the preparedness of state and central agencies. The meeting is scheduled to be attended by Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Advisor to Administrator of Diu.

"Ministry of Home Affairs is in continuous touch with the state governments and the Central Agencies concerned. NDRF has pre-positioned 26 teams which are equipped with boats, tree-cutters, telecom equipment etc. and moving another 10 teams as requested by the state government of Gujarat," the statement said.

Indian Coast Guard, Navy, Army, and Air Force units have been put on standby and surveillance aircraft and helicopters are carrying out aerial surveillance.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Cyclone Vayu is expected to touch Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Mahuva as a severe cyclonic storm with wind speed 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph during the early morning of June 13.

According to the official statement, the cyclone is likely to cause heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of Gujarat and Storm surge of height of about 1.0- 1.5 m above the astronomical tides likely to inundate the low lying coastal areas of Kutch, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Porbandar, Junagarh, Diu, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts at the time of landfall.