Centre reviews preparedness in Gujarat & other parts of country..
WEB DESK / AMN
Union Government today reviewed preparedness in Gujarat and other parts of country in view of Cyclonic Storm VAYU. Chairing a high level meeting in New Delhi, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba reviewed the preparatory measures taken by concerned State and Central agencies to deal with the situation.
An official release said, Mr Gauba directed the concerned officials to ensure that no human life is lost and minimize damage to infrastructure. He also reviewed arrangements for making available essential food, drinking water and medicines in relief camps and to ensure maintenance of all essential services such as Power, Telecommunications and health.
The Home Ministry said, the Centre is in continuous touch with the State Governments and Union Territories. The Ministry said, Gujarat has already evacuated over 1 lakh twenty thousand people from low lying areas to safer places and Diu has evacuated 8000 people. NDRF has pre-positioned 52 teams equipped with boats, tree-cutters and telecom equipments. Indian Coast Guard, the Navy, Army and Air Force units have also been put on and surveillance aircraft and helicopters are carrying out aerial surveillance. Department of Telecom has issued orders to telecom service providers to allow inter-circle roaming without any extra charge.
Earlier in a series of tweets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, he is constantly in touch with state governments. He urged the people residing in the affected areas to closely follow the real-time information being provided by the government and local agencies.
The Central Government is closely monitoring the situation due to Cyclone Vayu in Gujarat and other parts of India.
I have been constantly in touch with State Governments.
NDRF and other agencies are working round the clock to provide all possible assistance.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 12, 2019
Gujarat Meteorological Department Director Jayant Sarkar said, very severe cyclonic storm ‘VAYU’ is likely to reach Saurashtra coast tomorrow afternoon.
The Cyclone is likely to cause heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of Gujarat. State Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has deployed senior Ministers of his cabinet to rush to the cyclone prone districts and supervise the disaster response arrangements.
Railway authorities have decided to stop passenger train movements to cyclone prone districts in the state in view of the safety of staff and passengers. Accordingly, no passenger train will originate today from Veraval, Okha, Porbander, Bhuj and Gandhidham railway stations.
Dahej – Ghogha Ro Ro Ferry service has been suspended for next three days due to high current in the sea. Likewise, passenger ferry boat services between Okha port to Bet Dwarka have also been stopped.
All commercial flights from Ahmedabad airport to Kandla, Mundra, Bhavnagar, Keshod, Porbander and Diu island have been suspended till further orders.
More than 1500 buses of Gujarat State Transport Corporation have been deployed for evacuation of the people from coastal area and special bus service is made available to tourists and pilgrims to leave religious places like Dwarka and Somnath.
#CycloneVayu to hit #Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Mahuva around Diu and Veraval on 13th Jun early morning as a very severe cyclonic storm with wund speed around 150 kmph gusting upto 170 kmph. pic.twitter.com/cqp0guzuBl
— NDMA India | राष्ट्रीय आपदा प्रबंधन प्राधिकरण 🇮🇳 (@ndmaindia) June 12, 2019