Cyclone Vayu Likely To Return

As reported by an official of the ministry of earth sciences cyclone Vayu will change its path again and is likely to hit Kutch on June 17-18.

The very severe cyclonic storm will also reduce its intensityand turn into a severe cyclonic storm by Saturday morning, as said by a seniorIndia Meteorological Department (IMD) official.

 "The system is movingnearly westwards affecting Porbandar, Devbhoomi Dwarka districts with windspeed of 50-60 kilometres per hour gusting to 70 kilometres per hour and GirSomnath and Junagarh districts with wind speed of 30-40 kilometres per hourgusting to 50 kilometres per hour. The wind speed over these districts is verylikely to decrease gradually," as informed by the Cyclone Warning Division.

"The system is very likely to move nearly westwards during next48 hours and recurve northeastwards thereafter," it added.

Ministry of earth sciences secretary M Rajeevan told to a news agency that by June 16, Vayu is likely to become a cyclonic storm with an expected wind speed of 80-90 kilometres per hour. Intensity of the cyclone is likely to reduce and it may hit the coast as a cyclonic storm or a deep depression.

Massive arrangements and precautionary measures were put in place ahead of the expected landfall. More than three lakh people were evacuated from the coastal Gujarat and the union territory of Diu. Apart from the National Disaster Response Force, the Coast Guard, Army, Navy, Air Force and the Border Security Force were put on high alert and schools and colleges were shut.