Army personnel rescue stranded people from flood-hit areas in Jamnagar, Rajkot, and Dwarka in Gujarat. Photo: PTI
Gujarat: Deep depression likely to turn into Cyclone Asna, warns IMD
The Kutch Collector asked people living in Abdasa, Mandvi, and Lakhpat talukas to leave their huts and kutcha houses and take shelter in any school or other buildings
The authorities in Gujarat’s Kutch district have asked people living in huts and makeshift houses to take shelter in schools, temples, or other buildings after the IMD said that a deep depression over the area might turn into a cyclonic storm by Friday morning (August 30).
Following the warning by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Kutch Collector Amit Arora issued a video message asking people living in Abdasa, Mandvi, and Lakhpat talukas to leave their huts and kutcha houses and take shelter in any school or other buildings.
He also urged locals to come forward and provide shelter to such poor people in their houses till Friday evening.
In a statement on Thursday night (August 29), IMD said, “Deep depression over Kutch and adjoining areas is likely to move nearly westwards into northeast Arabian sea and intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 12 hours. It would then move west-northwestwards away from Indian coast during subsequent two days.”
CM Patel speaks to Kutch Collector
After the IMD warning, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reached the State Emergency Operations Centre in Gandhinagar on Thursday night and talked to Arora through video conference about the district administration’s preparedness, said an official release.
If the deep depression turns into a cyclone, it will be named Asna, a name suggested by Pakistan. This is a rare occurrence that a deep depression over land has converted to a cyclonic storm over the sea.
The formation of a cyclone in August in the Arabian Sea is also rare.
“During this period, the sea condition will be rough and wind speed may reach up to 75 kmph along and off the Gujarat coast,” the IMD has said.
Warning to fishermen
The IMD has issued a warning to fishermen in the districts along the coasts of South Gujarat and adjoining coast of Pakistan not to venture into the sea.
The rain has subsided to some extent in certain parts of the state, but other areas like Vadodara are still struggling under flood-like situations due to overflowing rivers.
More than 32,000 people have been relocated and about 1,200 people rescued from the floods.
(With inputs from agencies)
