In the wake of the severe cyclonic storm ’Shakhti’ in the Arabian sea, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning to the ports in Gujarat and asked fishermen not to venture into the sea till October 7. However, there is no heavy rainfall warning for the state for the week. According to the weather update issued by the IMD on Sunday 6 pm, the severe cyclonic storm ‘Shakhti’ over northwest and adjoining Westcentral Arabian Sea moved southwestwards with a speed of 8 kmph and lay centered over 860 km west-southwest of Dwarka and 870 km west-southwest of Naliya. “It is likely to continue to move southwestwards and weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm by morning of October 6. Thereafter, it will recurve and move nearly eastwards over westcentral and adjoining northwest Arabian Sea and weaken further into a depression by October 7 forenoon,” the IMD forecast stated. The IMD has hoisted Local Cautionary Signal (LCS-III) at all ports of North Gujarat coasts and South Gujarat, including Veraval, Jafrabad, Port Victor, Alang and Bhavnagar. It warned of squally weather and rough seas with winds of 30 knots (56 km/h) or more, indicating potentially dangerous conditions for maritime activities. Squally weather with wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph is very likely to prevail over Northeast Arabian Sea and along and off Saurashtra and Kutch coasts till October 6. Sea condition is very likely to be rough over Northeast Arabian Sea and along and off Saurashtra and Kutch coasts till October 6, the IMD stated. Further, it has issued a fishermen warning for the North Gujarat coast – Jakhau, Mandvi (Kutch), Mundra, New Kandla, Navlakhi, Jamnagar, Salaya, Okha, Porbandar – and South Gujarat coast including Muldwarka, Veraval, Diu, Jafrabad, Pipavav, Victor, Bhavnagar, Alang, Bharuch, Dahej, Magdalla and Daman. As per the weather department, light to moderate rainfall along with thundershowers is expected this week across the state. On Sunday, 14 talukas of the state received rainfall till 6 pm with Botad recording the highest of 11 mm followed by Jamnagar and Gadhada in Botad 7 mm each. Also, the southwest monsoon continues to withdraw and pass through Veraval and Bharuch in Gujarat, the agency said.
