DeshGujarat today evening spoke to Kutch district collector to get the details on possible strike of tropical cyclone ‘Nilofar’ on Kutch coast. District Collector in conversation with DeshGujarat said the district administration has issued alert particularly in coastal border villages. He said the notice boards in villages now contain alert. Sarpanchs and Talatis of villages are informed about possibility of cyclone. Fisheries department has cautioned fishermen against venturing into sea, and also asked fishermen already in sea to return. Ports are alerted. Taluka level control rooms are active on 24×7 basis. He said he has received two messages regarding cyclone alert; one message points out possibility of land fall of cyclone Nilofar on 29/30 October, while the other 30/31st. Kutch Collector further said that he has called a meeting of Roads and Building, Panchayat and other departments on Monday to discuss administration’s efforts to protect life and property in connection with Nilofar. He said, the administration has as of now not carried out evacuation, but in advance stage, if it is needed, the administration is fully equipped to do it efficiently. Ports situated on the coastline of Gujarat from Dahej in south to Jakhau in north are now Meanwhile all ports from Dahej in south Gujarat to Jakhau in Kutch now are having signal no. 2(distant warning that conveys a message that a storm has formed). In another development, parts of Kutch including Lakhpat, Dayapar, Mata no madh areas today witnessed showers due to impact of Nilofar storm which is less than or around 1,000 km away in sea. IMD Ahmedabad office’s version “At present, the cyclonic storm is centred in the west central and adjoining south west area of the Arabian sea. The exact situation, how and whether it will affect the Gujarat coast, can be ascertained, only after it moves from its current location. It may take 48 hours to ascertain that. If it moves towards the Gujarat coast, then it may bring atmospheric changes like rainfall and strong winds, but at present it is difficult to say anything,” Additional Director of Ahmedabad Meteorological Centre Manorama Mohanty said. Background: The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a warning to the state governments of Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala Karnataka, Gujarat and the Union Territories of Daman and Diu and Dadar Nagar Haveli as well as Lakshadweep regarding the formation of a potentially severe cyclonic storm ‘Nilofar’ in the region. Nilofar is expected to move initially north-northwestwards during the next 48 hours and then recurve northeastwards towards north Gujarat and the adjoining Pakistan coast in the next 72 hours. Nilofar is likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours. Under the influence of cyclone Nilofar, heavy to very heavy rainfall with wind speed of 45-60 kmph has been predicted to commence along the coastal districts of Saurashtra and Kutch from 30 October morning. Sea condition along and off Gujarat coast will be rough to very rough from the same period. Fishermen out at sea along and off Gujarat coast have been asked to return to the coast.

• published: 26 Oct 2014
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