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The cyclone, which is headed towards the Gujarat coast, has further intensified with a slight change in its direction since Thursday, but there has not been much change in its location, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Director Dr A B Mazumdar said on Friday.
The evacuation of people from low lying areas was in full swing since Thursday night even as the Gujarat government took every precaution to minimise the damage if the cyclone actually hits the state. It is expected to cross the coast on Saturday morning.
On Thursday night, the cyclone was 500 kms south of the Veraval coast and with its movement being very slow, it is still located somewhere in the same range, Mazumdar said.
There is a possibility that it might skirt Gujarat, Mazumdar added.
However, the administration is taking no chances as the IMD has warned that the cyclone could trigger strong winds reaching 220 kmph where ever it strikes, he added.
"Residents of Dandi, Pinjarat, Bhatni, Hazira, Dumas, Bhimpur, Sultanabad villages were evacuated even though some resisted the move," said Surat District Collector Sangeeta Singh.
In Morbhagva, 600 salt worker have been evacuated.
"We do not want to take any kind of risk and requested all the people staying in low lying areas to evacuate," Singh added.
Non-Gujaratis were seen leaving Surat for their native places.
In Hazira, industrial installations of Reliance, Essar and the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) are in danger of being hit by the cyclone.
"Alang, the ship breaking yard, has been shut down as a precautionary measure and the workers evacuated. Salt land owners have been told to shut down their business temporarily," Bhavnagar Collector A K Patel told rediff.com.
Signal No. 10 has been hoisted at Daman, Valsad, Maroli and Umargaon signifying high level of danger.
Signal No. 9 had been flashed at Surat, Khambat, Dahej and Bharuch, while Signal No. 8 was hoisted at Veraval, Diu, Navabandar, Pipava and Bhavnagar.
Gujarat Meteorological Department chief Dr R K Kankene said, "A similar scenario was witnessed in 1976. However, the cyclone had struck only Bhavnagar."
Meanwhile, seven State Reserve Police Force, four Rapid Action Force and six Border Security Force companies have been deployed in Kutch and about 90 mechanical boats and 588 other boats have been placed on stand-by in different areas around the Gulf of Cambay.
With inputs from PTI
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