Gujarat on alert as Cyclone Nilofar heads towards west coast

Gujarat state administration is preparing to face ‘Cyclone Nilofar’, which has developed in the Arabian Sea and is likely to move towards the state’s coast, Gujarat meteorological department said.

The MeT department on Sundayissued a warning asking port authorities to hoist distant warning signals.

“The cyclonic storm has developed in the Arabian Sea. The system would move initially north-northwest wards during the next 48 hours. Keep hoisted distant warning at your port,” the port warning of the meteorological department read.

An Ahmedabad Meteorological Centre official said that the exact situation of the cyclone could be ascertained only after 48 hours. “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,” Additional Director of Ahmedabad Meteorological Centre Manorama Mohanty said.

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, Mohanty said.

Considering the probability of ‘Cyclone Nilofar’ hitting the Gujarat coast, the Kutch district collector has issued an advisory to various authorities directing all sub-divisional magistrates and mamlatdars to keep their control rooms functional.

District Collector Mahendra Patel has also asked authorities of the Kandla Port Trust, the state maritime board and the forest department, besides all talatis and sarpanches in coastal villages to remain alert.

Control rooms would monitor the situation and issue alert every three hours to authorities in the coastal region of the state, the advisory said.