Severe Cyclonic Storm Vayu to Hit Gujarat on June 13

A severe cyclonic storm is advancing towards India’s West coast. Cyclone Vayu is predicted to hit Veraval in Gujarat by tomorrow morning with furious winds of speeds ranging from 140 km/hr to 170 km/hr. The storm which started some 340 kilometres away from Veraval in Gujarat, has turned into a “very severe cyclonic storm”, according to the weather department. Due to the cyclonic storm, the Arabian Sea has turned turbulent and huge waves are advancing towards the coast.

With the danger of devastation looming large over the skies of the states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Diu (Union territory) that lie on the western coast, massive evacuation measures have been reported to be underway. Gujarat government has launched an evacuation exercise that would shift almost 3 lakh people from the low lying areas of Saurashtra and Kutch region. Diu authorities also have planned evacuation.

According to a PTI report, teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) started landing in Gujarat with the help of the Indian Air Force to undertake preventive evacuation of people living on the coast.

Trains Cancelled

Western Railway (WR) has decided to cancel trains passing through the areas in Gujarat which are likely to be affected by the cyclone. All WR passenger and mail trains to Veraval, Okha, Porbandar, Bhavnagar, Bhuj and Gandhidham stations in Gujarat will be short-terminated or cancelled from 6 pm on Wednesday till Friday morning, the WR said in a bulletin— PTI reported.

As the cyclonic storm advanced to a very severe storm, Mumbai also witnessed heavy winds today morning. The Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) has suspended ferry services from early hours on Wednesday, June 12, in view of signal 3 cautionary advisory received from the Indian Meteorological Department.

It has been only a month since India’s East coast was hit by another “extremely severe cyclonic storm” named Fani on May 3. Cyclone Fani hit Puri in Odisha with a furious wind speed of 175 to 180 Km/hr, with occasional gusts of about 200Km/hr. The timely response of the state government, under which almost 11 lakh people had been evacuated, however, helped avoid serious loss of lives.

Also read: Packing Furious Winds, Heavy Rains, Cyclone Fani Batters Odisha Coast