Cyclone Nilofar to hit Gujarat as 'depression'

In a huge relief for people living near Gujarat's coastal areas, the MeT department on Thursday said that 'Nilofar', earlier dubbed as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) over west-central Arabian sea, is likely to make a landfall near Naliya in Kutch on Friday as a 'depression'.

"As it moved further into the sea during the past six hours, it has weakened and become a 'severe cyclonic storm' from VSCS. Nilofar is now expected to hit Naliya and other parts of Kutch on October 31 evening with low intensity, which can be called as depression, not as marginal cyclonic storm," state MeT department official Ajay Kumar said. As per the latest MeT bulletin, severe cyclonic storm Nilofar has moved east-northeastwards during the past six hours and currently lay centred at about 620 kms west-southwest of Naliya in Kutch.

"It would move northwestwards and rapidly weaken into a depression over northeast Arabian Sea off north Gujarat coast by October 31 evening," said the bulletin. According to MeT, moderate rainfall at most places in the state would occur under the influence of that system. "The wind speed would remain between 40 kmph and a maximum of 60 kmph during that time. Some isolated places of Kutch and Saurashtra may get heavy to very heavy rains during the next 48 hours," said Kumar. 

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Cyclone Nilofer: Telecom operators gear up facilities in Gujarat

Private telecom operators today said they have put in place facilities to ensure continuing mobile communication services in the districts of Gujarat that may get affected by impending cyclone Nilofar. Telecom service providers have put in place facility for tracking of people, missing person information, helpline numbers, Wi-Fi facilities in relief camps and made arrangement for temporary mobile base stations 'Cell on Wheels', a joint statement from industry bodies COAI and AUSPI said.

"These preparations benefit from our learnings from Uttarakhand and J&K's recent natural calamities, and the difficulties created by the cyclone Hudhud in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh," COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews said. Indian telecom companies are better prepared to ensure that people remain connected in the districts that may get affected by the cyclone, he added.

"The industry is with the people of Gujarat as the cyclone Nilofar approaches the state. The industry will work at tandem with the state and central governments for restoring normalcy as early as possible," AUSPI Secretary General Ashok Sud said.

The helpline number 1948, which has been allocated in Gujarat for telecom services and missing person information, will be intimated to all subscribers through SMS. Prepaid customers will be able to contact the emergency numbers even without balance.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the deep depression in the Arabian Sea has converted into a cyclone and under the moniker 'Nilofar' is heading towards Gujarat, expected to make landfall on Friday. As per the available information, the Districts of Kutch, Jamnagar, Junagadh and Porbandar are likely to be affected.

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Cyclone Nilofar undergoes rapid weakening, may dissipate before making landfall in Pakistan

Cyclone Nilofar has weakened rapidly and converted into a “cyclonic storm” about 560 km southwest of Karachi, according to the country’s meteorological department.
According to Pakistan Meteorological Department, the cyclonic storm would continue to move north-eastward with a speed of 12 km/hour in next 24 hours. The storm is likely to further weaken into a depression over the water in northeast Arabian Sea near the coast of Lower Sindh (Thattah) and Indian Gujrat on Friday evening/night.
According to The Weather Channel, Cyclone Nilofar has undergone rapid weakening, and may now dissipate before ever making landfall in India or Pakistan.
“Strong wind shear began hammering Nilofar, displacing thunderstorms away from the center of circulation, thus weakening it to the equivalent of tropical storm,” The Weather Channel reported, adding that vertical wind shear and dry air may degenerate Nilofar to a remnant low as soon as Friday, before ever making landfall.
 Below is a satellite estimated intensity plot with time of Nilofar from the University of Wisconsin’s Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies showing intensification followed by weakening.

Earlier, Chief meteorologist Tauseef Alam, while speaking to Express News, said the cyclone will not directly hit the shoreline of Pakistan and will only pass by it at the distance of 250km in the evening or late at night. He, however, added that the cyclone – which at the moment is in Oman’s coastal areas – will touch the Indian state of Gujarat.

The cyclone will cause widespread rain and thundershowers. Isolated heavy falls accompanied by strong gusty winds are expected in Lower Sindh and adjoining coastal areas of Balochistan from today evening till Saturday.

The sea conditions along Pakistan coast are likely to remain rough to very rough and the fishermen of Sindh and Balochistan are advised to keep their activities suspended up till Saturday.

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BSF on high alert as Nilofer approaches border districts in Rajasthan

High alert was sounded by the Border Security Force on Monday after it was confirmed that Barmer and Jaisalmer are likely to get affected by cyclone Nilofer, which is located at southern Arabian sea and likely to hit Karachi (Pakistan) and portions of Gujarat. Administration has also put in place preventive measures to restrict damages at international border at Jaisalmer and Barmer. BSF has also asked its men to be on alert during the impact of the cyclone to avoid any kind of intrusion from Pakistan.

Since heavy dust storm is expected by Friday as an impact of Nilofer, BSF has asked its men to intensify the vigil to avoid any kind of intrusion from the neighbouring country.

DIG, BSF, Raj Frontier, Ravi Gandhi said, "Looking at the likely impact of cyclone Nilofer on Rajasthan, after its entrance from Gujarat's coastal areas, we have put our men on high alert. Jawans have been directed to wear special goggles to protect them from strong winds and storms. They have also been asked to be attentive towards loose electric wires, tin sheds etc."

He said jawans have been told that intruders may take advantage of the storm and rain, so they have to be extra cautious.

On the progress of the cyclone so far, a senior officer at IMD, Delhi, said, "The very severe cyclonic storm, Nilofer, over west-central Arabian Sea has remained practically stationary. However, as the storm comes closer to Gujarat coast, it would weaken and cross the coast as a severe cyclonic storm. It will certainly bring rains and dust storm in western Rajasthan, including Barmer and Jaisalmer from Friday onwards."

Officials added that the state will have the impact of Nilofer up to a week, till November 7.

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‘Nilofer’ will not hit any part of Pakistan coastline

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said on Thursday that the ‘Nilofar’ cyclone has started weakening and is unlikely make landfall in coastal areas of Pakistan.

‘Nilofer’ will not hit any part of Pakistan as well as India; it has weakened and will die down completely by Saturday. Rainfall along with gusty winds in lower Sindh is expected within two days.

according to local media reports the director of the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre, Abdul Qayyum Bhutto said, “We predict Karachi and Hyderabad will receive up to 30 millimetres of rain. Thatta, Sujawal and Badin will receive moderate showers or up to 40mm of rain, rather than the heavy rains expected earlier”.

Though, the cyclone ‘Nilofer’ has weakened but the sea condition will remain ‘rough to very rough’ till Saturday. Sindh Government has advised fisherman not to venture into sea till then.

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