Cyclone Phet may hit Gujarat in next few days

GANDHINAGAR - Rains and squalls were reported along the Gujarat coast Wednesday, with the weather office warning that these may intensify with the likelihood of cyclone Phet hitting the state over the next few days.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) cyclone Phet has intensified further and lies centralized about 1,000 km southwest of Naliya in the Kutch region of Gujarat.

“It is slated to move in the north-north westernly direction for the next 24 hours towards the Oman coast and then may re-curve north-eastwards towards Gujarat,” an IMD official forecast Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile the sweltering weather in Gujarat underwent a dramatic change with a fall in temperature and an overcast sky.

Not only the coastal areas of the state but cities like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot and Surat, besides smaller towns, received showers though squalls affected transport and traffic on the roads.

The met office attributed the changed conditions to the affect of the impending cyclonic storm.

Showers have been reported from Amreli, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar districts of the Saurashtra region and Dharmpur in Valsad, besides other parts of south Gujarat. The sea would be rough and fishermen have been cautioned not to go out. The ports in the state have also been alerted.

According to reports from Saurashtra, two people have died within the last 24 hours to Wednesday evening.

While Sanjay Baria was struck by lightening in Khakhiana village of Rajkot district, an unidentified woman was killed in a wall collapse due to rains which also left six others injured in Wankaner in Rajkot district.