Cyclone Nilofar nears Gujarat, may hit coast on Friday

Cyclone Nilofar is expected to hit the Gujarat coast on Friday. The Met department has said that there will be heavy rainfall in coastal Saurashtra and Kutch on October 30 and 31.

The Met department has said that the very severe cyclonic storm, 'Nilofar' over westcentral Arabian Sea has moved north-northwestwards and lay centred at 0230 hours IST of 28th October, 2014 near latitude 15.60 N and longitude 61.80 E, about 1120 km southwest of Naliya (Gujarat), 1170 km south-southwest of Karachi (Pakistan) and 840 km east-southeast of Salalah (Oman).

However, it is expected that as the system would come closer to Gujarat coast, it would weaken and cross the coast as a severe cyclonic storm.

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Under the influence of the system, rainfall has been predicted at most places. Isolated heavy to very heavy falls are likely to commence along coastal districts of Saurashtra and Kutch from October 30 morning. The fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea.

Sea condition along and off Gujarat coast will be rough to very rough from October 30 morning and would become very high from the afternoon.

District authorities in the coastal areas are monitoring the situation and have been advised to keep their control rooms operational.