The district administrations of Surat, Navsari and Valsad in South Gujarat have started preparations to ensure safety of life and property in the wake of cyclone Nilofar which is likely to hit the state coast on October 31 or November 1. Around 100 villages in the three districts are likely to experience high-velocity winds and heavy rain, as an effect of the cyclone. The district administrations have started surveying the kutcha houses in their jurisdiction so that its residents can be shifted to a safer place when the cyclone reaches the coastline in Saurashtra. The Surat district collector Dr Rajender Kumar said, “We expect high-velocity winds with heavy downpour due to the cyclone which may hit North Gujarat and Saurashtra on October 31 or November 1. There are around 45 villages in the coastal area which will experience winds with heavy rainfall. We have started surveying to find out the number of kutcha houses and weak structures in the coastal areas and the number of people staying in them. We will definitely shift them to safer places when such change in climate occurs.” The district authorities have also instructed people not to go around beaches during the weekend as high tides are expected in the sea apart from high velocity winds and heavy rain. The district collectors of Surat, Navsari and Valsad have coordinated with the local police and district panchayat officials to ensure that no person goes to the beach on those days. Similarly, the local fishermen have also been instructed not to venture into the sea. Navsari district collector Remya Mohan said, “We have intimated the fishermen not to venture into deep sea. Around 125 boats and trawlers of Navsari which had gone for fishing have been brought back to the shores and they have been told not to go for fishing till further information.” The two teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) came down to Surat on Wednesday from Pune and they met the district authorities. The teams also visited Hazira and coastal areas.
