Cyclone Vayu changes course, won't hit Gujarat: Check updates here
Gujarat is bracing itself for Cyclone Vayu, which has now been categorized as 'very severe'. It was expected that the cyclone might make landfall on Thursday but a senior scientist at IMD said it won't hit Gujarat. Nevertheless, authorities are not willing to take chances and evacuated nearly 3 lakh people from Gujarat. 52 NDRF teams have also been deployed. Check all updates here.
Cyclone will pass from Veraval, Porbandar, Dwarka: IMD scientist
On Wednesday, IMD said the cyclone has a wind speed of 145-155 kmph. It was said that after hitting Gujarat coast, the cyclone would move parallelly to Saurashtra and Kutch. Places like Amreli, Gir Somnath, Diu, Junagarh, Porbandar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Dwarka, and Kutch were expected to receive heavy rainfall. And now, Manorama Mohanty, IMD scientist, said the cyclone would pass nearby from Veraval, Porbandar, Dwarka.
Coastal regions will get heavy rainfall: Mohanty
However, IMD warned that threat isn't over yet
"Extent of the cyclone is over 900 km. So while the eye of cyclone may or may not hit Porbandar, the system will still hit. Accompanying risk factors such as wind and storm surge and rainfall, all 3 stay very much threat factors. Hence please don't relax in preparedness," said IMD Mumbai.
Trains have been canceled, flight operations stopped
Reportedly, 70 trains have been canceled by Western Railways. Separately, Railways restricted the journey of 28 other trains. Meanwhile, flight operations were also suspended for 24 hours starting midnight at Porbandar, Diu, Bhavnagar, Keshod, and Kandla airports. Cyclone Vayu also made an impact in Mumbai. 194 departures and 192 arrivals were delayed and two flights had to change their routes.
Evacuated people will be put up in government buildings
Further, as part of rescue operations, Gujarat government moved people from low-lying areas to safer places. "We had earlier planned to shift only those living in thatched houses but in the wake of forecasts that the cyclone could be severe, decided to shift all the people in coastal villages," said Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. The evacuated people would be put up in government buildings.
People lend a hand to face the impending disaster
Army, IAF, Navy, and Indian Coast Guard have been stationed
Apart from teams of NDRF, Army, Indian Air Force, Navy, and Indian Coast Guard have also been kept on standby to aid in rescue work. A defense release said that ten columns of Army, which have 70 personnel each, were sent to 10 districts. Separately, 24 columns have been put in standby. The IAF has also kept medium and light helicopters at nodal points.
