Aug 30, 2024 09:17 AM IST
The India Meteorological Department said the last time a depression formed on land transitioned into a cyclone before moving out to sea was 48 years back in 1976
A deep depression over the Gujarat coast was poised to move westward into the Arabian Sea, where it is expected to intensify into a cyclone on Friday even as flooding in the western Indian state after heavy rains has left at least 28 dead and over 24,000 displaced.
India Meteorological Department (IMD)’s Ahmedabad unit head Ashok Kumar Das called the weather system a rare occurrence. He said the last time something similar happened was in 1976 when a depression formed on land, and transitioned into a cyclone before moving out to sea. “Usually, it is the other way around. The depression began in Rajasthan, moved through north Gujarat, and is now in the Saurashtra-Kutch region. Although it is not severe, it is developing into a strong cyclonic storm,” said Das on Thursday.
Das said they will have a clearer understanding of the cyclone intensity on Friday with the coastal areas of Kutch likely to be affected.
The deep depression over Saurashtra and Kutch moved westwards with a speed of three km per hour and lay centered at 8.30 am on Thursday 60 km northwest from Bhuj, and 80 km northeast of Naliya. “It is likely to move west-southwestwards, emerge into the northeast Arabian Sea off Kutch and adjoining Saurashtra and Pakistan coasts, and intensify into a Cyclonic Storm on August 30 [Friday]. Thereafter, it would continue to move nearly west-southwestwards over the northeast Arabian Sea away from the Indian coast during subsequent two days.”
The deep depression on Thursday coincided with continuing rainfall in Gujarat with Mandvi recording the highest rain of 287 mm, followed by Mundra (188 mm) from 6 am to 6 pm. Khambhaliya, one of the worst-hit areas, recorded 944 mm of rainfall from Sunday to Thursday, causing widespread disruption and displacement.
Chief minister Bhupendra Patel visited the rain-affected Devbhumi Dwarka district on Wednesday to oversee ongoing relief efforts. He held a meeting with chief secretary Raj Kumar, where he was briefed on the damage, evacuations, and rescue operations in the district. Patel emphasised the need for immediate relief operations, including financial assistance for household items and compensation for deaths and damages.
As many as 130 people were rescued in Devbhumi Dwarka on Thursday, and 1,596 were relocated to safer areas.
On Thursday, the Coast Guard pressed a helicopter to rescue four people on a fishing boat stranded 30 km southwest of Dwarka. It was among a series of helicopter operations for the evacuation of 24 people from the flood-hit villages of Dumthar, Thepada, and Kutiyana. Many of those rescued were stranded on rooftops or clinging to pillars. The Coast Guard evacuated 57 people on Wednesday and Thursday.
The army mobilised eight columns for assistance and disaster relief in Vadodara, Jamnagar, Dwarka, Rajkot, Morbi, and Bhuj. On Thursday, the army rescued eight people trapped for four days in a village in Jamnagar and over 200 people in Vadodara, which has been among the worst-hit places.
