Cyclone Vayu: As IMD issues warning, Home Ministry takes stock of states' preparedness

After IMD's issuing warning over Cyclone 'Vayu' hitting the Western Coast on Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness of State and Central government to deal with the concerned to deal with the situation arising out of Cyclone ‘Vayu’.

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In the meeting Shah has directed officers to prepare safety evacuation measures, and also directed the Indian Coast Guard, Navy, Army & Air Force to keep their control rooms functioning and on standby to carry out aerial surveillance when necessary.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed that Cyclone 'Vayu'  is expected to touch Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Mahuva around Veraval & Diu region as a Severe Cyclonic Storm with wind speed 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph during early morning of 13 June 2019. It is likely to cause heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of Gujarat and Storm surge of height of about 1.0- 1.5 m above the astronomical tides likely to inundate the low lying coastal areas of Kutch, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Porbandar, Junagarh, Diu, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts at the time of landfall. IMD has been issuing regular bulletins since April 9 to all the concerned States.

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Ministry of Home Affairs is also reportedly in continuous touch with the concerned State Governments/UT and the Central Agencies regarding the cyclone. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has pre-positioned 26 teams which are equipped with boats, tree-cutters, telecom equipment, etc. and moving another 10 teams as requested by State Govt. of Gujarat, as discussed in the MHA meeting.

According to IMD sources, Cyclonic Storm 'Vayu' which lay centered 350 kms West-Southwest (WSW) of Goa, 510 kms South-Southwest (SSW) of Mumbai and 650 kms South of Veraval, continues to move in Northerly direction and is likely to intensify into Severe Cyclonic Storm in next 12 hours.