Cyclone Vayu to hit Gujarat coast on June 13, Thursday morning.
Cyclone Vayu has turned into a "very severe cyclonic storm" and is likely to cause gusty winds to blow at a speed of 145 kmph to 170 kmph by Thursday morning. From forming relief teams to cautioning the fishermen to transferring human assistance materials to the state, all preparations are in place to deal with the emergencies, says the government. Twenty villages were put on alert ahead of cyclone Vayu. 39 schools in villages near the coastal areas of Valsad are expected will remain closed. Fire and rescue teams have also been put on alert.
Cyclone Vayu: Know about all the preparations here
1. The Indian Coast Guard has formed relief teams and kept them on notice at Daman, Dahanu Mumbai, Murud-Janjira, Ratnagiri, Goa, Karwar, Mangalore, Beypore, Vizhinjam and Kochi for immediate response.
2. The authorities have cautioned the fishermen against proceeding to sea and have advised the fishing vessels to return to the harbour.
3. Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) materials are on board nominated ships and medical teams and facilities are on standby to handle medical emergencies at the Indian Naval Hospital Asvini.
4. An IAF aircraft C-17, which took off from New Delhi, will airlift around 152 NDRF personnel and eight tonnes of necessary equipment from Arakkonam to Jamnagar for relief missions in Gujarat.
5. Indian Navy Diving, rescue teams along with P8I and IL aircraft have been kept on standby to render assistance and carry out rescue operations. An advisory has also been issued to all offshore platforms by the Offshore Defence and Advisory Group headquarters.
6. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed a total number of 36 teams to conduct operations in Gujarat ahead of cyclone Vayu's impact on the land.
7. Kandla port in Kutch district will temporarily remain closed ahead of the landfall.
8. Locals and fishermen who live in areas near the port are being evacuated to safer places by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
The Union Home Ministry had issued detailed advisories to the Gujarat government and the Diu administration, asking them to take all precautionary measures to prevent loss of life.