New Delhi: Cyclone ‘Vayu’ intensified into a cyclonic storm on Tuesday and is likely to hit the Gujarat coast on June 13 morning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
On Tuesday evening, the IMD issued orange warning which predicts the landfall and likely impact of a cyclone.
“Gale wind speed of the order of 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph very likely over north Arabian Sea and Gujarat coast in morning hours and decrease gradually thereafter. It is very likely to be 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph over north Maharashtra coasts and northern parts of east central Arabian Sea,” the IMD forecast said.
The weather department has issued a warning of heavy rains and high winds on June 13 and 14 in the coastal areas of Saurashtra and Kutch.
Around 280,000 people living near the coastline in Kutch, Dwarka, Porbandar, Rajkot, Junagarh, Diu, Gir, Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar will be evacuated on Wednesday as these areas in Gujarat are identified as the most vulnerable.
The officials said schools, colleges and Anganwadis in the coastal districts would remain shut on June 12 and 13.
The Home Ministry has mobilised 35 teams of the National Disaster Response Force in Gujarat and four in Diu; along with teams of disaster response force, Army, coast guard and border security.
