Very severe cyclonic storm Nilofar over westcentral Arabian Sea moved eastwards during past six hours, weakened into severe cyclonic storm and lay centred about 730 kilometres southwest of Naliya in Gujarat and and 740 kilometres south-southwest of Karachi, Pakistan.It would move northeastwards and cross north Gujarat and adjoining Pakistan coast around Naliya by tomorrow night.
However, as the system comes closer to Gujarat coast, it would weaken into a depression.Under the influence of this system, moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfalls at isolated places would occur over all districts of Saurashtra and Kutch and North Gujarat region today and tomorrow.Fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea during the next 72 hours.
Danger signals number 2 for distant warning have been hoisted on all ports along the Gujarat Coast. Gujarat Relief Commissioner D.N.Pandey told AIR that most of the fishing boats have returned to Gujarat coast except 49 fishing boats. State Fisheries Department is trying to establish contact with remaining boats for their safe return. Boats of Gujarat Marine police have started patrolling in Arabian Sea along with Indian Coast Guard to rescue stranded fishing boats if any.
Indian Coast Guard has activated Cyclonic monitoring cells equipped with radars at its Gandhinagar, Porbandar, Jakhau, Mundra, Vadinar, Okha and Pipavav centers.
Our Ahmedabad correspondent reports that state Government has geared up its machinery to meet any challenge arising out of the cyclone. State Chief Secretary Dr. Varesh Sinha convened a meeting to review the situation yesterday. National Disaster Response Force has alerted three more battalions based in Vadodara, Pune and Bhatinda for relief and rescue works.
Seven teams of NDRF are already deployed in Kutch and Saurashtra with fully equipped boats. Meanwhile, Kutch district administration has chalked out a plan to evacuate more than 30 thousand people staying in 123 coastal villages. People residing in coastal villages of nearby districts of Kutch like Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jamnagar and Rajkot have also been asked to remain alert.
