Centre gears up to help Gujarat face cyclone Nilofar

The Centre on Monday reviewed the preparedness of relief and rescue measures taken by Gujarat and offered help to the state in the wake of impending cyclonic storm Nilofar, which originated in the Arabian Sea and will make its landfall on Friday near Naliya village in Kutch district. The storm is expected to bring in heavy rains in coastal areas of Saurashtra and Kutch accompanied by high speed winds.

Officials said that the Gujarat administration is bracing to meet any challenge arising out of the cyclone, the second one to hit India this month after 'Hudhud', which caused large-scale devastation in coastal Andhra Pradesh.

At an emergency meeting, the National Crisis Management Committee, headed by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth, reviewed the precautionary relief and rescue measures in the coastal districts of Gujarat.

The Cabinet Secretary, in a video conference with the Gujarat Chief Secretary, took stock of the various steps taken to meet any challenge arising out of the cyclone, an official spokesperson said.

The NCMC also reviewed the preparedness with the concerned Central Ministries and Departments and representatives of the State government present at the meeting.

“The Centre is fully geared up to provide necessary assistance to the State government whenever and wherever required,” the spokesperson said.

“The storm is currently positioned in the west-central Arabian Sea, about 1,170km south-west of Naliya village, 1,230 km south-southwest of Kutch and 880km east-southeast of Oman,” the Department said.

“It would initially move north-northwestwards during the next 24 hours and then recurve northwestwards and cross Gujarat and adjoining Pakistan coast around Naliya by October 31. However, as the system would come closer to Gujarat coast, it would weaken and cross the coast as a severe cyclonic storm,” it added.

Looking at the situation, the meteorological department has told authorities to hoist distant warning signal No 2 on all ports.