Around three lakh people have been shifted to safer places in Gujarat as the very severe cyclonic storm Vayu is expected to make landfall between Dwarka and Veraval by Thursday afternoon.
Western Railway PRO Pradeep Sharma reportedly said that three special evacuation trains are also being run, with one from Okha in Saurashtra to Rajkot, and two trains with 21 coaches for Ahmedabad.
The Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani held a review meeting at the State Emergency Operations Centre late on Wednesday night. He later told the reporters that all the 11 ports in the state have have already been vacated.
"We had earlier planned to shift only those living in 'kutchha' (thatched) houses, but in the wake of forecasts that the cyclone could be severe, we decided to shift all the people from coastal villages," he said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that the cyclone could bring winds with speed of 155-165 kmph, gusting up to 180 kmph, to the coastal areas of south Gujarat.
Nine more trains cancelled, four short terminatedWestern Railway announced that nine more trains have been cancelled, and another four short terminaated with partial cancellation as a precautionary measure.
Keeping in mind the safety & security of train passengers in view of #VayuCyclone, WR has decided to cancel 9 more trains & short terminate with partial cancellation another 4 trains as a precautionary measure in the cyclone prone areas. #VayuCycloneGujarat pic.twitter.com/gybj6fF6iy
— Western Railway (@WesternRly) June 13, 2019
#CycloneVayu has passed from the state's coastline and is heading towards the #Gujarat coast, but the cyclone has further delayed the arrival of the #Monsoon in #Goa, state #IMD Director #KVPadgalwar said.
— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) June 13, 2019
Photo: IANS pic.twitter.com/pGQcv5FuRv
Cyclone VAYU located near 20.5N/69.3E at 1330 IST is 120 km Southwest of Veraval & 120 km south of Porbandar. It is moving northwestwards & has started skirting the Saurashtra Coast. Heavy Rainfall likely to continue over the coastal areas during next 3 hours.
— India Met. Dept. (@Indiametdept) June 13, 2019
The government has advised people to stay alert and cooperate with local administration. "People have been advised to stay away from the coast. The situation is still critical. All the ports have been asked to hoist the storm warning signal number 9. Many areas near the coast are now receiving rain. The cyclone may bring very heavy to extremely heavy rain in some areas," Pankaj Kumar said.
PM Modi assures support to the Chief Minister of GujaratPM Shri @narendramodi held telephonic talk with Gujarat CM Shri @vijayrupanibjp on cyclone preparedness immediately after reaching Bishkek and assured all assistance and support from Central Govt to mitigate the effects of #CycloneVayu
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) June 13, 2019
#CycloneVayu UPDATE- #TEAMNDRFINDIA
— NDRF (@NDRFHQ) June 13, 2019
Medical Camp at Shelters in Nalia, Kutch & Porbandar, Gujarat
#BeAlert #BeSafe #BeCalm
#NDRF4INDIA @satyaprad1 @PIBHomeAffairs @ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/DZhjzsO6rw
Glimpses of Restoration work by #NDRF in #Diu #CyclonicStormVayu pic.twitter.com/VG1EeBVF3q
— AIR News Ahmedabad (@airnews_abad) June 13, 2019
#CycloneVayu Bulletin:
— NDMA India (@ndmaindia) June 13, 2019
IMD pic.twitter.com/15A4NZjNij
Cabinet minister Jayesh Radadiya visits Porbandar coastal area to ensure proper security arrangements.
No casualities reported so farChief Secretary of Revenue Pankaj Kumar reportedly said that no casualities have been reported due to Cyclone Vayu until now.
The six death reported earlier were monsoon related and not due tu the cyclone, he said.
Of the six deaths, five occured due to lightning, while a biker died after a tree fell on him.
No damage to any airport infrastructure or facilities reported so farReview Status of Airports in Gujarat in the wake of #CycloneVayu: Effect of Cyclone Vayu has been milder at most of the airports of Gujarat. No damage to any airport infrastructure or facilities has been reported so far.
— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2019
#CycloneVayu UPDATE- #TEAMNDRFINDIA
— NDRF (@NDRFHQ) June 13, 2019
52 Teams Ready to meet any evatuality. #BeAlert#BeSafe
#NDRF4INDIA@satyaprad1 @PIBHomeAffairs @ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/r286q2SJVd
The Veraval-Amreli, Amreli-Junagadh, Delvada-Veraval are some of the trains that were cancelled for Wednesday and Thursday.
Recent update on the very severe cyclonic storm by IMD:Pankaj Kumar, Additional Chief Secy, Revenue Department, Gujarat Govt:
— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2019
Govt alertness for #CycloneVayu continues with same intensity. Persons shifted to shelter homes to stay there. People should continue to stay in safe areas. Their preparedness to continue at same level
Although the severe cyclonic will not hit Gujarat, the state continues to be on Red Alert. The cyclone will now be tracking northwestwards. It would move in proximity of Saurashtra coast and heavy to very heavy rains are expeced in Porbandar, Dwarka, Okha, Junagarh and Jamnagar.
Deputy General of Meteorology, India Met Department, K S Hosalkar mentions risk factors of the stormAll these predictions r with ref to eye of cyclone. Extent of cyclone or diameter is well over 900 kms. So while eye may or may not hit Porbandar, the system will still hit with risk factors such as wind, storm surge & rainfall. All r very much threat factors. So no relaxation. pic.twitter.com/eE2t1sTvCS
— K S Hosalikar (@Hosalikar_KS) June 13, 2019
Watch our meteorologist @Mpalawat talk about latest update on Very Severe Cyclone #Vayu #cyclone #cycloneVayu #vayu https://t.co/0k9qF24sXT
— SkymetWeather (@SkymetWeather) June 13, 2019
The cyclone will pass nearby from Veraval, Porbandar, Dwarka.
Manorama Mohanty, scientist at India Meteorological Department (IMD), Ahmedabad: #CycloneVayu won't hit Gujarat. It will pass nearby from Veraval, Porbandar, Dwarka. Its effect will be seen on the coastal regions as there will be heavy wind speed and heavy rain as well pic.twitter.com/tt57jsbjWt
— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2019
Gujarat: Food packets being prepared by various groups in Rajkot, in the light of #CycloneVayu . The food packets will be dispatched to the cyclone affected areas of the state, as per the instructions by the govt officials. pic.twitter.com/c57aWFlIq5
— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2019
Gujarat: The shed at the entrance of Somnath Temple, in Gir Somnath district, damaged due to strong winds. #CycloneVayu pic.twitter.com/RpFjZzXUj4
— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2019
India Meteorological Dept: The sea condition is very likely to very rough to high along & off Maharashtra Coast and northern parts of eastcentral Arabian Sea till 13 June. #CycloneVayu https://t.co/Vs3LRUrqrO
— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2019
#CycloneVayuUpdates
— ѕαtчα n prαdhαn, dírєctσr gєnєrαl,ndrf (@satyaprad1) June 13, 2019
As confirmed by State Govt/UT Govt #TEAMNDRFINDIA units deployed @ CYCLONE VAYU impact zone nearly 3 lakh people evacuated @HMOIndia @PMOIndia @NDRFHQ @ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/xPp1L3I3ei