About three lakh people in Gujarat have been evacuated to safer places as Cyclone Vayu is likely to hit the state on June 13. Cyclone vayu cyccoastline of Gujarat has been put on high alert even as the cyclonic storm is inching towards the coast and likely to make a fall on Thursday.
The Indian Meteorological Department said that the Cyclone has now intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and was likely to cross Gujarat coast on June 13. The MET department has warned of strong winds and heavy rains in Gujarat. On June 12, it was now about 280 kilometre South – South west of Mumbai, 470 kilometre West – Northwest of Goa and 340 kilometre South of Veraval in Gujarat. The MET department said it also warned of severe cyclonic storm with winds reaching speed of 145 to 155 Kmph and moving on to 170 Kmph.
Meanwhile, a high level meeting was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take stock of the situation. The minister had directed al officials to take all steps to ensure the safety of the people.
All educational institutions have declared holiday. Several trains have also been cancelled because of the cyclone.
The Army, Navy and Air Force and Coast Guard have been put on alert. Apart from the forces, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been put on high alert and about 36 teams have been mobilised and positioned at vulnerable positions in Gujarat, Mumbai, Daman and Diu, a release said. Thirty four teams are positioned in Porbandar, Morbi, Rajkot, Amerli, Somanath, Jamnagar, Kutch, Gandhi Nagar, Ahmedabad and Vadodara districts in Gujarat. The other two teams have been stationed at Diu, the NDRF said.
The NDRF said that all teams in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have been kept on standby. They said that they were in constant touch with the state governments.
The NDRF was closely watching the situation and it has mobilised resources.
