Cyclonic storm Maha intensifies, may make landfall in Gujarat on Nov 6: IMD

“Severe cyclonic storm Maha is most likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm and make landfall between Dwarka and Diu on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning with wind speeds of 120 km/hour,” said regional IMD director Jayanta Sarkar.

“The storm will cause heavy to very heavy rain in Saurashtra and south Gujarat on Wednesday and Thursday. It is moving towards Oman but will recurve towards Gujarat coast on Monday,” Sarkar added.

Keeping the development in mind, a meeting was held between stakeholders, including IMD and all state government departments concerned as well as the district administrations.

“The district and the state administration in Gujarat are keeping a close watch over the movement of the cyclone. Collectors are ensuring that all fishermen return home,” Additional Chief Secretary of Revenue Department Pankaj Kumar tweeted Sunday.

The IMD has also issued a warning for the fishermen advising them not to venture into the sea along and off Gujarat coast and adjoining North Maharashtra coast on Wednesday and Thursday.

While light to moderate rainfall along with thunderstorm is expected across the state next week, IMD has issued a heavy-to-very-heavy rainfall warning for Monday in districts of Jamnagar, Morbi and Devbhoomi Dwarka.

On Wednesday and Thursday, heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely in central and South Gujarat and Saurashtra region.

The state that has already recorded 145 per cent average rainfall this monsoon season reported light rainfall in districts of Devbhoomi Dwarka in Saurashtra and Banskantha in the North Gujarat Sunday morning.

While heavy rainfall occurred at isolated places in the district of South Gujarat namely Navsari; districts of South Gujarat, Saurashtra-Kutch and a few places in North Gujarat received rainfall late Saturday night and Sunday morning. Also, a few talukas of Banskantha including Lakhani, Deesa and Danta received light rainfall Sunday morning along with Panchmahal, Tapi and Khambhalia in Devbhoomi Dwarka district.