Cyclone Vayu intensifies, Gujarat gears up

With Cyclone Vayu intensifying and advancing closer towards the coast, hundreds of thousands of people are being evacuated to shelters along the coast in Gujarat.

An hour ago, the cyclone was 340 kilometres away from Veraval which is expected to make landfall on Thursday.

According to the Met Department, landfall is predicted between Porbandar and Mahuva and Veraval and Diu island which is likely to affect Bhavnagar, Amreli, Junagadh, Gir Somnath and Porbandar districts adversely.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said massive evacuation of humans and cattle is necessary for the wake of the cyclone intensity revised by the met department. Rupani urged the people not to wait till government teams reach them.

As per reports, local authorities have started evacuating the people from the vulnerable areas in Saurashtra and Kutch and are being shifted to around 700 cyclone and relief shelters since morning.

The entire coastline, starting from Kutch to south Gujarat has been put on "high .

MeT department has warned fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off Gujarat coast in next few days while ports have been directed to flag a danger signal. Tourists visiting Dwarka, Somnath, Sasan, Kutch have been advised to leave for safer places by today afternoon. NDRF, Indian Army, Coast Guard, BSF and other agencies have been roped in for relief and rescue work.

Airports in Porbandar, Rajkot, Keshod and Diu have been closed for civilian flight operations as precautionary measures and commercial flights, mainly from Mumbai, are being diverted to other airports in Gujarat.

IAF helicopters fleet from South Western Air Command (SWAC) has been deployed in the cyclone-prone area with rescue equipment. Navy and Coast Guard ships sailing in the Arabian sea close to Saurashtra coastline and Bay of Kutch are put on high .

Massive stock of Food packets and potable water pouches is being generated by the state administration with help from social service organizations and arrangements are on for last mile delivery to people.

Health teams with medicines are rushing to cyclone prone districts. More than 1500 State Transport buses are earmarked for movement of relief teams and material to affected areas.