Due to rapid weakening, the severe cyclonic storm Maha — centred over the eastcentral and adjoining northeast Arabian Sea which was predicted to hit Gujarat coast near Diu till Tuesday, is now very likely to skirt Saurashtra coast and lie as a deep depression about 40 kilometers south of Diu around noon of November 7.
“The cyclone will weaken into a cyclonic storm by today and skirt Gujarat coast. Following which, it will continue to move eastnortheastwards and further weaken into a depression by Thusday evening,” said IMD regional additional director Manorama Mohanty.
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On Wednesday, it lay about 400 km westsouthwest of Porbandar (Gujarat), 440 km west-southwest of Veraval (Gujarat) and 490 km westsouthwest of Diu. “It is very likely to move nearly eastwards, weaken into a cyclonic storm by today, the 6th November evening. Thereafter it is likely to move east-northeastwards, weaken further into a deep depression by early morning of tomorrow, the 7th November over northeast and adjoining eastcentral Arabian Sea. It is very likely to skirt Saurashtra coast,” the IMD bulletin stated.
On Tuesday, coastal districts of Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Surat, Bharuch, Anand, Ahmedabad, Botad, Porbandar and Union Territories of Daman and Diu were put on alert owing to damages expected due to the cyclone.
Though no major damages are expected due to weakening of the cyclone, minor damages are still exepcted in some of these coastal districts. “No major damages but minor to loose and unsecured structures, some breaches in Kutcha road due to flooding, minor damage to banana trees and near coastal agriculture due to salt spray, damage to ripe paddy crops, minor damage to Kutcha embankments and damage is expected,” said IMD regional additional director Manorama Mohanty.
Also, high velocity winds in the costal districts would start from Wednesday afternoon that is likely to continue till November 7. “Wind speed would 55-65 kmph gusting gusting to 75 Kmph along and off Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Diu, Amreli Bhavnagar, Bharuch, Anand, Ahmedabad, and Botad districts, 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph over districts Porbandar, Rajkot, Navsari, Valsad, Daman and Dadra and Nagar Haveli from 7th November morning for the subsequent 12 hours,” the IMD forecast stated.
However, light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places very likely over Saurashtra including Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Botad, Porbandar, and Rajkot Wednesday along with Surat, Bharuch, Anand and Ahmedabad. Also, isolated heavy to very heavy falls over Bhavnagar, Surat, Bharuch, Anand, and Vadodara and heavy rainfall at isolated places over Botad and Ahmedabad are expected on Thursday.