New Delhi. The storm hovering over the Kutch region of Gujarat has changed its direction and the threat of cyclone has been averted for the time being. On Friday, the Meteorological Department said that heavy rains and winds blew in the Mandvi area of Kutch around 12:00 noon. Earlier, the Meteorological Department had informed that the deep pressure area formed over the Kutch region could take the form of a cyclonic storm by Friday. In view of this, people living in huts and temporary houses in the district were advised to go to schools or temples.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has confirmed that the deep depression that caused torrential rains and floods in Gujarat on Friday has turned into cyclone ‘Asna’. This cyclone is the first such cyclone to form in the Arabian Sea in August since 1976. The name ‘Asna’ has been given by Pakistan.
According to the IMD, only three cyclonic storms have formed in the Arabian Sea in the month of August between 1891 and 2023 – in 1976, 1964 and 1944. The 1976 cyclone originated from Odisha and entered the Arabian Sea, moving on a curved path and weakened near the Oman coast. The 1944 cyclone intensified after emerging into the Arabian Sea, while a short-lived cyclone in 1964 developed near the south Gujarat coast and weakened near the coast.
Recently, the deep depression over Kutch coast and adjoining areas of Pakistan and northeast Arabian Sea intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘Asna’ during the past 6 hours and moved westwards at a speed of 6 kmph. The cyclone lay centered 190 km west-northwest of Bhuj at 11:30 am. 26 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Gujarat in the last three days. More than 18,000 people have been evacuated from flood-affected areas in the state and about 1,200 people have been rescued.
