Cyclone Asna Updates: Deep Depression Likely to Turn Into Cyclonic Storm Near Flood-Hit Gujarat

Ahmedabad: As rains continued to batter parts of Gujarat for three consecutive days starting Tuesday, several areas in the state remained under water on Friday. With no immediate relief in sight, the IMD has predicted that Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka and Jamnagar districts in the state are likely to receive “heavy to very heavy” rains today as well. 

The intermittent rains are being attributed to a deep depression over Saurashtra and Kutch region. A deep depression over the Saurashtra and Kutch areas is expected to intensify into Cyclone Asna on Friday, marking a rare prevalence for August.

The cyclone is about to shape over the Arabian Sea on Friday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The cyclone, named Asna, will be the first of its type in August given that 1976. It is anticipated to travel from the Saurashtra-Kutch location of Gujarat in the direction of the Oman coast.

"DD over Kachchh & & adjoining areas of Northeast Arabian Sea and Pakistan,about 90 km W-NW of Bhuj (Gujarat).To move W, emerge into NE Arabian Sea and intensify into a CS on 30th Aug. it would continue to move nearly W-SW over NE Arabian Sea away from Indian coast in next 2 days," the IMD said in a tweet posted earlier in the day. 

In view of the cyclonic storm making strong waves on Kandla coast in Gujarat, an alert has been issued. Meanwhile, authorities have carried out rescue operation in the area.

Gujarat Rains: Top Updates

•  Cyclone Asna formed near Gujarat, shifts to Pakistan
• Indian Navy Deploys Team In Porbandar, Jamnagar To Assist Flood Relief Operations

After the district administration requested teams to augment relief operations in the region, Indian Naval flood relief teams at Porbandar and Jamnagar were deployed to provide the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) in the state. According to officials, two rescue teams from Porbandar along with associated specialist equipment were deployed to Morana and Fatana villages.

• Rains abate in Gujarat but several towns, villages remain flooded; IMD warns of cyclone in Kutch

 Even as rains abated in most parts of Gujarat on Friday morning, several towns and villages witnessed water logging due to swollen rivers, officials said. According to the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), only four places in the state received 15 mm to 26 mm of rain between 6 am and 2 pm, while other parts remained dry or received light showers during this period.

 Gujarat Minister Praful Pansheriya says, "The situation is under control. Our priority is to ensure that there should be no loss of life or property...A meeting was convened to ensure that electricity should be provided to all the villages...The repairing of roads will also be started today. Teams of the Indian Army NDRF and SDRF worked very hard to carry out the rescue operations..."

• Situation Under Control:  Gujarat Minister Praful Pansheriya 

"The situation is under control. Our priority is to ensure that there should be no loss of life or property...A meeting was convened to ensure that electricity should be provided to all the villages...The repairing of roads will also be started today. Teams of the Indian Army NDRF and SDRF worked very hard to carry out the rescue operations..." he said.

• Deep depression likely to turn into Cyclonic Storm near Gujarat coast within 6 hours
  A deep depression over the Kachchh coast and northeast Arabian Sea is likely to intensify into a Cyclonic Storm during the next six hours. Thereafter, it would continue to move nearly west-northwestwards over the northeast Arabian Sea away from the Indian coast during the subsequent 2 days: India Meteorological Department (IMD)
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• Light to moderate rains are expected for Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar today
• 882 mm of rainfall in Gujarat since June 1
  IMD scientist Ramashray Yadav said, "Kachchh has received very heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours...Gujarat has received 882 mm of rainfall since June 1, which is 50% more than normal...Saurashtra and Kachchh regions have also recorded more than normal rainfall...Light to moderate rains are expected for Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar today."
• Gujarat Floods: Reliefs operation continues

A team of 350 sanitation workers from Surat reached Vadodara to clean the affected areas after flood. Speaking about sanitation work, Incharge Executive Engineer, Surat Municipal Corporation, Mahesh Rathod said, "We have been working here for the last 2 days. We have 350 sanitation workers here. We clean the dirt from the affected areas. When we came here, we surveyed to find out where to start the work from..."

• Gujarat floods: Train services resume as floodwaters recede

Train services in Vadodara which were hit by the incessant heavy rains on Thursday, resumed operations as floodwaters receded on Friday morning.  

• Indian Army continue flood relief operations in Gujarat

• Gujarat floods: Indian Coast Guard conducted rescue operations in Dwarka on Thursday | WATCH
   

• Several parts of Gujarat are likely to experience moderate to heavy rain accompanied by thundershowers on Friday, August 30. The Met department has also issued a warning for Saurashtra and Kutch regions of Gujarat, predicting heavy to extremely heavy rainfall till August 31.
• In the wake of a cyclonic storm warning for the district, Kutch Collector Amit Arora issued a public advisory for the locals.
   

Meanwhile, the rain situation improved a little on Thursday but floodwaters were yet to recede in several areas including Vadodara city following the incessant showers. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel conducted an aerial survey of Kutch, Jamnagar and adjoining Devbhumi Dwarka districts to assess the damage. Barring the coastal areas of Kutch and Devbhumi Dwarka districts, rains subsided during the day, officials said. 

PM Modi Takes Stock of Situation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to CM Patel and reviewed the the situation. The rain fury in the state has claimed as many as 26 lives on August 26 and 27 across the state in rain-related incidents.

During the last 36 hours ending at 6pm on Thursday, Mandvi taluka of Kutch district received 469 mm of rainfall, the highest in the state, as per a release by the State Emergency Operations Centre.

Teams of Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), its state counterpart SDRF along with local administration were engaged in relief and rescue operations in the worst-affected districts of Vadodara, Dwarka, Jamnagar, Rajkot and Kutch.