Amit Shah reviews cyclone Vayu preparations

Home Minister Amit Shah Tuesday reviewed the preparations for cyclone Vayu which is expected to make a landfall in Gujarat, and directed officials to ensure all possible steps for the safety of people, officials said. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has pre-positioned 26 teams, comprising about 45 personnel each, and the rescuers are equipped with boats, tree-cutters, telecom equipments.

The NDRF is also moving another 10 teams as requested by the Gujarat government. After review, the Home minister directed the senior officials to take every possible measure to ensure that people are safely evacuated.

He also told them to ensure maintenance of all essential services such as power, telecommunications, health, drinking water and their immediate restoration in the event of damages caused to them, a Home Ministry official said. The ministry is in continuous touch with the state governments and Union territories like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Daman and Diu, which may be affected due to the cyclone.

The Indian Coast Guard, the Navy, Army and Air Force units have been put on standby and surveillance aircraft and helicopters are carrying out aerial surveillance, the official said. Shah also gave instruction for round the clock functioning of control rooms.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that cyclone 'Vayu' is expected to touch Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Mahuva around Veraval and Diu region as a severe cyclonic storm with wind speed of 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph during early morning of June 13, another official said. It is likely to cause heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of Gujarat with storm surge with a height of about 1.0- 1.5 m above the astronomical tides likely to inundate the low lying coastal areas of Kutch, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Porbandar, Junagarh, Diu, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts at the time of landfall.

The IMD has been issuing regular bulletins since April 9 to all the concerned states. The meeting was attended by Union Home Secretary, Secretary in the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and senior officers of the IMD and the MHA.

Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha has also convened a meeting of National Crisis Management Committee later in the day to review the preparedness of states and central agencies, the official said. Chief secretary of Gujarat and advisor to administrator of Diu are scheduled to attend the meeting.

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