Gujarat prepares for cyclone

The government has initiated elaborate arrangements, including evacuation of people from low-lying coastal areas even as the meteorological department here said the cyclonic storm over the Arabian Sea could weaken and hit the coastal areas of the state late on Monday night, resulting in heavy to very heavy rainfall in all coastal districts.

All ports have been placed on high alert and district administrations have been directed to evacuate people if necessary.

Meteorological department officials said coastal regions could be lashed by winds of speeds reaching up to 70 km per hour.

"As of 6 pm, the cyclone was 150 kms south of Veraval, but it has considerably weakened into a depression. It will hit the coast in the form of heavy rainfall late on Monday night," said the officials.

Revenue minister Kaushik Patel and revenue secretary Vilasini Ramchandran reviewed cyclone preparedness during a video conference.

According to noon warning, the cyclonic storm was likely to hit the coastal districts of Surat, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Bharuch, Surat and Valsad around 10 pm on Monday.

The cyclone will cross the state between Porbandar and Surat. Jamnagar district collector T Natarajan said the district administration has taken all precautionary measures in the that are likely to be affected.

Fishermen are cautioned not to venture into the sea, Natarajan said. Those who are already in the sea have been called back with the help of coast guard.

All workers have been called back from the salt pan areas and companies have been asked to provide safe shelter salt pan workers.

Rescue teams with power boats have been deployed in Dwarka, Kalyanpur and Khambhalia talukas.

Surat collector Pankaj Joshi said all operations at the Mugdalla Port have been suspended. Agriculture department sources said the rainfall may damage the mango crop.

The mango plucking and packaging season of Junagadh district has just begun and is likely to peak by May 15. Unseasonal rainfall in Surat and other places of south Gujarat has affected the standing crop.

Rains claim six lives

Six persons were killed in rain-related incidents in the state. Officials said four persons died when lightning struck them. The deaths were reported from Navsari, Jamnagar, Umargam and Rajkot.

Two others died in Bharuch district after branches of trees fell on them.