Cyclone Vayu makes slight deviation, Moves Away from Gujarat

Guwahati: Cyclone Vayu, which was forecasted to hit Gujarat with heavy landfall, has changed its course now and as per the India Meteorological Department forecast, it is now unlikely to hit the Gujarat coast.

As stated by Secretary at the Ministry of Earth Sciences M Rajeevan, "It (cyclone Vayu) may not make landfall. It will only skirt the coast. It has made a small deviation. But, its effect will be there with strong winds and heavy rain."

Before this, as a precaution to face the severe cyclonic storm, Gujarat government had shifted a population of around three lakh from its low-lying areas like those of Saurashtra and Kutch regions.

Now, according to the latest forecasts and as stated by IMD Additional Director General Devendra Pradhan, the cyclone will remain in the sea and move parallel to the Gujarat coast. The forecast now states that the cyclone will move a bit westward and will go parallel to the Gujarat coast.

As mentioned by the Cyclone Warning Division, "It is very likely to move north-northwestwards for some time and then northwestwards skirting the Saurashtra coast affecting Gir Somnath, Diu, Junagarh, Porbandar and Devbhoomi Dwarka with wind speed between 135 and 145 kmph, gusting to 160 kmph from June 13 afternoon."

Earlier, it was expected that the cyclone will make landfall on the Gujarat coast and will move along and parallel to the Saurashtra and Kutch coasts.

Now, the slight changes occurring in the direction of the cyclone will result in making no landfall on the Saurashtra coast, but will affect the Gir-Somnath, Junagadh, Porbandar, Devbhoomi-Dwarka districts and Union Territory Diu. This has been stated by the meteorological department's Additional Director Manorama Mohanti to the media.

She also added, "The eye of the storm will not enter Gujarat, but half of the storm, the outer peripheral part, will enter the state and affect the coastal areas.”

Also read: Cyclone Vayu: Amit Shah Reviews Preparedness In Gujarat