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When cyclone Nilofar, termed a ‘very severe cyclone’ by the weather department, reaches the Gujarat coast, its intensity is likely to weaken by two levels. The date of landfall has also been revised to Saturday from Friday.
The cyclone is likely to cause heavy to very heavy rain in many parts of the state, this could affect the standing crop. Important industrial installations along the coast, such as the oil refineries of Reliance Industries and Essar Oil in Jamnagar district, have also been put on alert by the state administration. Ports across the state, including Kandla and Mundra, have been asked to hoist distant warning-II signals for ships headed there.
Meanwhile, seven teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been sent to different districts. Two team have been sent to Bhuj, and one to Gandhidham, in Kutch district. One team each has been stationed in Porbander, Veraval and Rajkot. Four NDRF teams are kept on standby at Ahmedabad and Vadodara, NDRF officials said.
Jamnagar district collector Nalin Upadhyay has asked oil refineries off the coastline to remain alert in the wake of the cyclone. “We have issued high alert warning for the industrial installation of Reliance, Essar, GSFC (Gujarat State Fertilizer Corporation) and others located along the coast. We have asked them to take precautions to protect the large structures in their units,” said Upadhyay, adding the companies have their own mechanism to handle a cyclone.
Adding: “We are ready with our evacuation plans for people living along the coastline. We are closely watching the progress of the cyclone and will execute the plan if required.”
At the Adani Group-promoted Mundra Port, precautions have been taken “to face any kind of situation”, said a top official.
The Paschim Gujarat Vij Company (PGVCL), which supplies power to Saurashtra and Kutch, is also geared for any power cut. All godowns in coastal areas have been supplied with necessary material in case of power cuts and the contractors have been asked to remain present at the godown for the next three days, a senior PGVCL official said.
In the wake of the impending cyclone, the Gujarat government has directed all district administrators, especially of coastal districts, to take precautionary measures. “Fishermen called back, trimming of trees to prevent damage to life & property, farmers informed to shift their produce to covered places,” chief minister Anandiben Patel tweeted after reviewing the situation. “While we are preparing for the worst to happen, let us also pray that cyclone Nilofar gets subdued and doesn’t bring serious damage,” she said on the microblogging site.
The state agriculture department has instructed farmers to move their farm produce to safer places before Thursday. “We do not expect much damage to crops as most farmers have already harvested their crops. There are a few areas in central Gujarat were there is standing cotton crop, but that is unlikely to be affected. Maybe, their quality could suffer if there is rain and strong winds. But we still have to wait till the cyclone strikes to assess the damage to crops,” said a senior agriculture department official. He, however, added they have asked all farmers to move their harvest to safe locations at the earliest.
On Tuesday, Nilofar, a cyclonic storm originated in the Arabian Sea, moved north-northwestwards and lay centred about 1,110 km southwest of Naliya (Gujarat), 1,150 km south-southwest of Karachi (Pakistan) and 820 km east-southeast of Salalah (Oman). “It would move north-northwestwards by Wednesday morning and then gradually recurve northeastwards and cross Gujarat coast and adjoining Pakistan coast around Naliya (Kutch) by November 1 forenoon,” said the advisory issued on Tuesday by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). “However, as the system would come closer to Gujarat coast, it would weaken and cross the coast as a cyclonic storm,” said Manorama Mohanty, joint director of IMD - Ahmedabad. She, however, added that the wind speed is likely to be 100 kmph, gusting 110 kmph, during landfall.
