A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Shri A. K. Joti here today took stock of the effects of the cyclone ‘Phet’ on Gujarat that developed in the Arabian Sea.

As per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reports, winds likely to blow at 40-50 kmph, resulting in scattered to heavy rain in certain areas of Saurastra & Kutch during the next 48 hours.

This powerful cyclone is static over the Arabian Sea, about 1,100 km south-west of Nalia in Kutch district, and as per present indications it is likely to cross Oman coast in the Gulf during the next 24 hours by June 4 morning. It is likely to next move in north-westerly direction to Pakistan coast on June 5.

As precautionary measures, the state government has shifted nearly 7,200 people to safer places in Rajkot, Kutch and Porbandar districts during the last 24 hours. Evan as 5,274 salt pan workers in Kutch have been shifted to higher places, they have been asked not to go for work the coming three days.

The authorities have deployed nine teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and eight teams of State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) in Saurashtra & Kutch, while three units of NDRF have been kept ready at Gandhinagar, in addition to 6 units from Pune scheduled to reach Vadodara late tonight.

So far, eight persons have died due to cyclone in the state. While assistance of Rs.1-lakh has already been given in two cases, process in on in the remaining cases.

Electricity has been restored in 1,838 villages, out of 1,853 affected villages Work is on to restore electricity in the remaining 15 villages.

The Irrigation Department and GSDMA have made available four high capacity and 55 dewatering pumps, and kept 10 pumps as standby. Medical teams along with 22 vans of the ‘108’ service are kept ready.