Ports, installations on high alert

Although the meteorological department has forecast that the cyclonic storm building up south of Veraval in the Arabian Sea is likely to become a depression causing very heavy rainfall accompanied with winds, authorities at various ports and other strategic installations have taken all necessary arrangements, including suspending mid-sea operations.

All ports and other infrastructure facilities along the coastal areas have been placed on high alert since Sunday evening, and respective district administrations have been directed to co-ordinate precautionary measures.

The state government officials held video conferencing sessions with several district headquarters to review the arrangements on Monday.

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

As of 6 pm, the cyclone was at 19.5 degrees north latitude and 70 degrees east longitude.

An spokesperson of the Essar group, which has operations in Hazira, off Surat, and also a refinery coming up at Jamnagar, said mid sea operations, which involve carrying goods from heavy vessels to the jetty at Hazira, have been suspended.

"All other necessary steps have been taken to ensure that there is no loss to life or property in the possible cyclone," the spokesperson said. The company was closely monitoring the situation in co-ordination with the meteorological department, the spokesman said.

All precautions have also been taken at the Mundra Port, which is promoted by the Adani group.

Sanjay Gupta, chief executive officer of the Adani Group, said the port has been placed on high alert.

"Mundra port has also started a control room. The cargo has either been covered or shifted to safe places. As a port handling authority, care is being taken to ensure that ships or cargo is not affected," Gupta said.

Surat collector Pankaj Joshi said all the operations at the Mugdalla Port have been suspended until further orders.

The Arabian sea is expected to become extremely rough as the cyclonic depression moves closer to the coast.

"We will keep the storm gates closed which in turn will protect the lock gates. This will ensure that water remains at safe levels and ships are not damaged," said a senior Mumbai Port Trust official.

A K Joti, chairman of the Kandla Port Trust, said arrangements have been made at the port to tackle any situation and a control room has been set up to co-ordinate functioning of various departments.

"We have ensured that new vessels do not enter the harbour so that overcrowding does not take place. At the same time, the vessels that had already loaded or unloaded cargo, were allowed to leave the harbour on a priority basis," he said.

Joti said unlike the 1998 cyclone, where the port was not affected much, the cyclonic depression this time is far less severe.

"But the port is in constant touch with the meteorological department and fully prepared to handle the situation," he said.