More than 15,000 people were on Wednesday shifted to safer locations from coastal areas of Gujarat, which are likely to be hit by cyclone Nilofar on Saturday, presently some 870 km away. The state authorities have set up over 200 temporary relief centres in coastal towns.
The state government has also directed all schools, colleges and agriculture produce marketing yards in coastal districts to remain shut for two days. The Alang ship breaking yard in Bhavnagar coast has also been ordered shut.
“14 teams of the NDRF have been deployed in coastal areas in addition to state reserved police flood rescue teams,” Gujarat government spokesperson Nitin Patel said. He added that senior officials of the state government are camping in the
coastal districts to supervise preparations.
Indian Coast Guard has pre-positioned 30 choppers in Kutch, Dwarka, Veraval and Jamnagar for rescue works.
Meanwhile, as per the Met department’s latest forecast, cyclone will weaken substantially as it reaches the coast of Gujarat.