New Delhi: Weeks after the cyclone hit the coast Hudhud Visakhapatnam, Gujarat is preparing for the cyclone Nilofar. According to the latest forecast from the Met department, is expected to hit Gujarat Nilofar cyclonic storm on the night of October 31 as "marginal cyclonic storm" against the earlier prediction that is "serious".
"Nilofar has weakened and is expected to arrive in Gujarat, since only the cyclonic storm Marginal. Previously you anticipate landfall on the morning of November 1, but now looks set to hit the Kutch coast at night of October or early morning November 1st 31, "said state relief commissioner DN Pandey.
According to the Met department, Nilofar, categorized as "very severe cyclonic storm 'over the west-central Arabian Sea, has shifted slightly northward. Now it is 860 miles west-southwest of Naliya in Kutch.
"However, as the system nearer to the coast of Gujarat, weaken and cross the coast as a cyclonic storm marginal wind speed of 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph or" said the bulletin issued at 3 pm by the Department of Met.
Pandey said the storm could bring heavy rain. "It is expected that the rains start in the morning on October 31 with winds upto 45 mph. Kutch get heavy to very heavy rains, between 2-10 inches. The rains are also expected in many other parts of the state "he said.
"Apart from Kutch, including Naliya, the storm will impact other coastal cities, including Veraval, Somnath, Porbandar, Okha and Dwarka near Jamnagar. We have asked all collectors of the districts to take their own call to evacuate people living near coastal areas, "Pandey said.
"The Fisheries Department of the state told us that all fishing boats had entered the sea are back. From now on any of our ships are at sea," he added.
Three additional teams from the National Disaster Relief Force have been deployed in the state. "Besides the nine teams already deployed in several places, we have deployed three teams over Kutch and Dwarka A. Are also taking help of ISRO for establishment of emergency communication system," Pandey said.
