In anticipation of a powerful cyclone making landfall near Jakhau port in Gujarat’s Kutch district tomorrow evening, authorities have taken action to protect the residents. A total of 37,000 people from coastal areas have been relocated to temporary shelters. In order to provide quick response and aid, 17 teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 12 teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are prepared and waiting.
The army is also prepared to provide relief efforts and has stationed flood relief units at strategic locations. Coordination between the army, civil administration, and NDRF has been established in several districts.
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The evacuation operation is being carried out in two phases. The first phase involves moving people living within 0 to 5 kilometers of the seashore, while the second phase focuses on those within 5 to 10 kilometers of the coast. Alok Kumar Pandey, the State Commissioner of Relief, provided this information.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a virtual meeting on Tuesday with Chief Minister
Bhupendra Patel and other senior officials to assess Gujarat's preparedness. Shah emphasized the need for relocating vulnerable residents to safer areas and ensuring the availability of essential services, such as electricity, telecommunications, healthcare, and drinking water.
The cyclone, as indicated by Manorama Mohanty, the Director of Ahmedabad IMD, is expected to pass through the area near Jakhau port, between Mandvi in Kutch and Karachi in Pakistan. It is predicted to bring wind speeds ranging from 125-135 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 150 kmph.
The IMD has issued warnings of extremely heavy rainfall and strong winds in the coastal areas of Saurashtra-Kutch, particularly in the districts of Kutch, Porbandar, and Devbhumi
Dwarka.
Precautionary measures have been taken by the Western Railway to ensure the safety of passengers and maintain smooth operations. As a result, 69 trains have been canceled, 32 have been terminated short of their intended destination, and 26 have originated from a different starting point.