Cyclone Warning in Gujarat: People Living in Weak Structures in Kutch District Told To Move to Safer Places

The authorities in Gujarat’s Kutch district have asked people living in huts and makeshift houses to take shelter in schools, temples or other buildings after the IMD said that a deep depression over the area might turn into a cyclonic storm by Friday morning, August 30.

Following the warning by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Kutch Collector Amit Arora issued a video message asking people living in Abdasa, Mandvi and Lakhpat talukas to leave their huts and kutcha houses and take shelter in any school or other buildings.

Kutch Collector Amit Arora in Video Message 

VIDEO | #Gujarat: Kutch Collector Amit Arora issues a public advisory in the wake of storm warning.

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/cpj5A1h35k

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 30, 2024

He also urged locals to come forward and provide shelter to such poor people in their houses till Friday evening. In a statement on Thursday night, IMD said, “Deep depression over Kutch and adjoining areas is likely to move nearly westwards into northeast Arabian sea and intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 12 hours. It would then move west-northwestwards away from Indian coast during subsequent two days.”

According to an official release, after the IMD warning, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reached the State Emergency Operations Centre in Gandhinagar on Thursday night and talked to Arora via video conference about the district administration’s preparedness.

Gujarat Rains: Herd of Buffaloes Swept Away in Floodwaters in Porbandar's Kutiyana Area (Watch Video).

If the deep depression turns into a cyclone, it will be named Asna, a name suggested by Pakistan. This is a rare occurrence that a deep depression over land has converted to a cyclonic storm over the sea.

A deep depression over the Kachchh coast and northeast Arabian Sea is likely to intensify into a Cyclonic Storm during the next six hours. Thereafter, it would continue to move nearly west-northwestwards over the northeast Arabian Sea away from the Indian coast during the… pic.twitter.com/ICYd0Fnn2U

— ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2024

The formation of a cyclone in August in the Arabian Sea is also rare. “During this period, the sea condition will be rough and wind speed may reach up to 75 kmph along and off the Gujarat coast,” the IMD has said.