Indian Navy: Braving the storm to save lives
The incident, following the sinking of barge P-305 on the same day, with 261 persons onboard, led to one of the biggest co-ordinated Search and Rescue (SAR) operations off the coast of Mumbai.
The incident, following the sinking of barge P-305 on the same day, with 261 persons onboard, led to one of the biggest co-ordinated Search and Rescue (SAR) operations off the coast of Mumbai.
He announced a financial assistance of Rs 1,000 crore, for immediate relief activities, to the State of Gujarat.
It is very likely to move north-eastwards and weaken gradually into a Well-Marked Low-pressure area during the next 12 hours.
On receipt of a request for assistance for a Barge 'P305' adrift off Heera Oil Fields in Bombay High area with 273 personnel onboard, INS Kochi was swiftly sailed with despatch to assess the situation and render assistance, as required.
12,420 people living in the coastal stretches of Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Raigad districts have been shifted to safer places, said an official statement adding that these include 8,380 people in Raigad, 3,896 in Ratnagiri and 144 in Sindhudurg.
The IMD has warned of winds of upto 75-100 kmph in Mumbai, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Thane and Palghar during the day and people have been asked not to venture outdoors.
The BJP chief further advised that party volunteers who are conducting and coordinating in relief and rescue operations should be told to help and coordinate with various government agencies carrying out relief works like civil administration, health department, fire department and local civic bodies.
The districts affected by the cyclone are Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Udupi and Uttara Kannada on the coast and Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Shivamogga in the Western Ghats.
The National Weather Forecasting Centre of the India Meteorological Department said that the cyclone is likely to move north-northwestwards and reach Gujarat coast in the evening hours of May 17 and cross Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Mahuva (Bhavnagar district) around May 18 early morning.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday that a low-pressure area is developing rapidly over the Lakshadweep Isles and the Arabian Sea and a powerful cyclonic storm is expected to manifest by Sunday and is likely to hit the coasts of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Kerala in the next four days.
