Gandhinagar (Gujarat): As Cyclone Tauktae is likely to intensify during the next 12 hours into a "very severe cyclonic storm" over the east-central Arabian Sea, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Sunday instructed state ministers to reach Bharuch with immediate effect to review the preparedness of the government to tackle possible cyclone situation.
Gujarat Ministers including Minister of Disaster Management Dilipkumar Thakor, Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, Tourism and Fisheries Minister Jawaharbhai Chavda, Vasanbhai Ahir, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Kunwarjibhai Bavlia, Ganpatbhai Vasava, and Vibhavari Devi, R. C. Faldu, Kishor Kanani, Ramanbhai Patkar, Ishwarbhai Parmar, and Ishwarsinh Patel have been instructed to reach Bharuch with immediate effect.
The State government has also directed the Department of Roads and Buildings, Forest Department to ensure that the communication network, roads, and power supply are maintained properly and it can be quickly restored if affected by falling trees or otherwise affected by the potential hurricane.
Other essential supplies including oxygen and an Urgent Rapid Response Team have also been formed in each district of the state.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), it is very likely to be very rough to high along and off the south Gujarat coast from May 17 morning and very high to phenomenal from May 17 midnight.
The IMD has also issued a warning for fishermen near coastal areas. There is a total suspension of fishing operations over east-central and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea and along and off Kerala-Karnataka-Goa-Maharashtra coasts.
Total suspension of fishing operations over the northeast Arabian Sea and along and off Gujarat coast from May 17.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a high-level meeting on Saturday to review the preparedness of States and Central agencies concerned to deal with the situation arising out of cyclone 'Tauktae'.
