Cyclone Nilofar fizzles out, even heavy rain ruled out

Much hyped cyclonic storm Nilofar, which was supposed to slam coastal areas in Gujarat on Saturday, has completely fizzled out as the Met department has now withdrawn its warning to the state.

Much hyped cyclonic storm Nilofar, which was supposed to slam coastal areas in Gujarat on Saturday, has completely fizzled out as the Met department has now withdrawn its warning to the state.

According to the met department, cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea has further weakened and now it does not appear to have any major impact when it makes landfall on the coast in Kutch. “Even heavy rain is ruled out now as cyclonic storm has turned into a low pressure depression into the sea,” a Gujarat government official said.

"The earlier system, tagged as cyclonic storm Nilofar, gradually weakened into depression and then turned into 'well- marked low pressure' in the last 24 hours," said state MeT official Ajay Kumar.

He added that "Due to this new system, we expect moderate rains in parts of Kutch and Saurashtra. Wind speed will remain between 35-45 Kmph. There is no need to worry now.”

Meanwhile, people who were shifted from villages which were on cyclone’s route have returned to their places in Kutch and other coastal areas of the state.
“We had shifted over 15,000 people to safe locations but now there is no threat of any disaster, people have returned to their places,” a senior official from Kutch
said.

"There is no need to panic now as the system has turned into low pressure, which would bring some rain at isolated places,” Kutch district collector MS Patel said.

The state authorities have also withdrawn its warning from various ports in the state but the fishermen have been advised to not venture into the sea for next 24 hours.