Cyclone Nilofar to hit Gujarat with lesser intensity than predicted

Gandhinagar: As per the latest prediction of the MeT department, cyclonic storm Nilofar is expected to hit Gujarat on the night of 31 October as a “marginal cyclonic storm”, against the earlier prediction of it being “severe”.

“Nilofar has weakened and is expected to hit Gujarat as Marginal Cyclonic Storm only. Earlier it was predicted that it will make landfall on forenoon of November 1. But now it seems that it will hit Kutch coast on the night of October 31 or early morning November 1,” said the state relief commissioner DN Pandey in Gandhinagar on Wednesday.

According to Met department, Nilofar, categorised as ‘Very Severe Cyclonic Storm’ over west-central Arabian Sea, has moved slightly northwards. It is now 860 Km west-southwest of Naliya in Kutch.

“However as the system would come closer to Gujarat coast, it would weaken and cross the coast as marginal cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 60-70 Kmph gusting to 80Kmph,” said the bulletin issued at 3pm by Met department.

Pandey said the storm would bring heavy rains. “It is expected that rains would start in the morning on October 31 with winds upto 45 Kmph. Kutch would get heavy to very heavy rains, between 2 to 10 inches. Rains are also expected in many other parts of state,” he said at a press conference.

“Apart from Kutch, including Naliya, the storm will impact other coastal towns including Veraval, Somnath, Porbandar, Okha and Dwarka near Jamnagar. We have asked all the districts collectors to take their own call to evacuate those living near the coastal areas,” said Pandey.

“The state Fisheries Department today told us that all the fishing boats which had gone into sea have returned. As of now none of our boats are in the sea,” he added.

Three additional teams of National Disaster Relief Force have been deployed in the state. “Apart from nine teams already deployed at various places, we have deployed three more teams today for Kutch, Una and Dwarka. We are also taking help of ISRO for establishing emergency communication system,” said Pandey.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the system which has developed into a very severe cyclonic storm, would “weaken” as it heads for the coast and is positioned at about 850 km west-southwest of Naliya and 840 km south­southwest of Karachi in Pakistan this afternoon.

“It would move north­northeastwards during next 12 hours and then northeastwards and cross north Gujarat and adjoining Pakistan coast around Naliya by 31st October night/early hours of 1st November,” it said in a bulletin.

Under the influence of this system, heavy to very heavy rainfall has been forecast along the coastal districts of Saurashtra and Kutch but the downpour will reduce from 2 November.

The MeT has already asked authorities to hoist distant warning signal Number 2 on all ports.

Cyclone ‘Nilofar’ comes just weeks after cyclone ‘Hudhud’ hit the Eastern states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, causing extensive damage in Vishakapatnam.

PTI