Cyclone Vayu to recurve again, may hit Gujarat coast at Kutch next week

Hours after Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced that the storm posed no threat to the state as it had moved westward, a top Union Ministry of Earth Sciences official on Friday said that cyclone Vayu is likely to recurve and hit Kutch on June 17-18. Cyclone Vayu was to hit the Gujarat coast on Thursday, but it changed course on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. It skirted the Gujarat coast, affecting Gir, Somnath, Diu, Junagarh and Porbandar.

"Vayu is likely to recurve on June 16 and hit Kutch on June 17-18," said M Rajeevan, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

The intensity of the very severe cyclonic storm is also likely to reduce, Rajeevan said, adding that it may hit the coast as a cyclonic storm or a depression. He said the Gujarat government has been alerted about the possible re-curvature of the cyclonic storm.

READ: Cyclone Vayu Drifts Away From Gujarat, Rains Predicted In The Coastal Regions

Speaking on the India Meteorological Department's latest weather report, Ahmedabad Meteorological Centre Additional Director Manorama Mohanty, however, said it was too early to predict if the cyclone will recurve and hit Kutch or Saurashtra.

"The report says it may recurve in the next 48 hours. But it is also possible it may weaken by then and dissipate in the sea itself. Thus, it is too early to predict that it will come back and hit the Kutch coast," she said.

Gujarat Chief Secretary JN Singh said authorities were monitoring the situation and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams would continue to be stationed along the coastline for the next 48 hours.

"Even if it comes back to Kutch or Saurashtra after 48 hours, the system may have weakened significantly. However, we are alert. If something happens on June 17 and 18, we're ready for that. NDRF teams are also there for the next 48 hours. We have not called them back," he said.

Tragic: Man Killed As Portion Of Metal Cladding Collapses At Mumbai's Churchgate Railway Station Amid Cyclone Vayu's Effects

Earlier, after meeting officials in Gandhinagar on Friday, Gujarat Chief Minister Rupani had said,

"Gujarat is now completely safe. There exists no threat from cyclone Vayu now as the storm has veered towards the west in the Arabian Sea. Around 2.75 lakh people, who were evacuated from the coastal areas, are free to return to their homes."

The cyclone, while not making landfall in Gujarat, brought moderate-to-heavy rains to 114 tehsils, the highest rainfall of 6.5 inches (160mm) being recorded in Talala tehsil of Gir-Somnath district since Thursday, a Met department release said.

This is the latest update by the Indian Meteorological Department (Saturday, 10:00 am):

(inputs from PTI)