Cyclone Vayu LIVE updates: Western Railway announces cancellation trains within and outside Gujarat

Western Railway announced full cancellation of 40 mainline train services to and from various destinations within Gujarat & partial cancellation/short-termination of 28 long-distance mainline train services to and from various states, on July 12 & 13, due to Cyclone Vayu.

NDRF team alerts citizens near Jafrabad Port in Amreli as Cyclone Vayu is expected to make landfall tomorrow

The railways has cancelled 15 trains and it will short terminate 16 others due to Cyclone Vayu, Western Railways said Wednesday.

The IMD said Tuesday Vayu has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and it is nearing the Gujarat coast.

"Considering the alertness for Cyclone Vayu over Gujarat, the Western Railway has decided to fully cancel operation of 15 mainline trains, while 16 other mainline trains will be short terminated with partial cancellation as a precautionary measure in the cyclone prone areas.

More than 500 villages in coastal region have been evacuated, 2.15 lakh people have been shifted to shelters. From midnight police will be patrolling the vulnerable areas. Pankaj Kumar, Addnl Chief Secretary, Gujarat Revenue Department on Cyclone Vayu

36 NDRF team deployed, 11 teams more ready. 9 SDRF teams, 14 companies of SRP and 300 marine commandos are also deployed

Nearly 1.5 lakh people were evacuated to safer places from the coastal districts of Saurashtra region in Gujarat and two special evacuation trains were being pressed into service with cyclone Vayu likely to be more intense at 150 km per hour when it makes landfall in the state.

Flight operations from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport to Porbandar, Diu, Kandla, Mundra and Bhavnagar in Saurashtra have been cancelled for Thursday, while all educational institutions have been shut and tourists on the Gujarat coast asked to steer out at the earliest, officials said.

Two special evacuation trains have been pressed into service with one starting from Okha in Saurashtra for Rajkot at 5.45 p.m. on Wednesday, and another at 8.05 p.m. for Ahmedabad with 21 coaches.

An alert has been sounded in 10 districts of Gujarat as Cyclone Vayu has turned "very severe" and its impact is expected to remain strong for 24 hours even after its landfall on Thursday, officials said.

As many as 52 teams of the National Disaster Management Relief Force (NDRF), comprising around 45 rescuers each, have been moved to the state, while 10 columns of the Indian Army have been kept on stand-by.

Warships and aircraft of the Indian Navy have been kept standby as well. A general alert has been sounded across 10 district in Gujarat as wind speeds are likely to touch 170 km per hour, a Home Ministry official said.

Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning, gusty wind with speed reaching 30-40 kmph with intense spell of rain likely to occur at isolated places in districts of Palghar & thane during next 4 hours.

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm VAYU about 280 km is nearly south of Veraval (Gujarat) & 360 km nearly south of Porbandar (Gujarat). It'll cross Gujarat coast between Dwarka and Veraval as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm with wind speed 155-165 kmph around afternoon of 13th June.

A total of 1,64,090 people have been evacuated from 10 affected areas till 4 PM on Thursday, says Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) evacuates citizens from beaches in Dwarka ahead of the expected landfall of Cyclone Vayu, on Thursday.

As cyclone 'Vayu' advances towards Saurashtra and Kutch regions of Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday advised people to follow real-time information being provided by local agencies to stay safe.

"Praying for the safety and wellbeing of all those affected by Cyclone Vayu. The government and local agencies are providing real-time information, which I urge those in affected areas to closely follow," he said in a tweet.

Strong winds and dust hit the Somnath temple in Gir Somnath district ahead of the landfall of Cyclone Vayu, expected on Saturday

As cyclone 'Vayu' advances towards the Gujarat coast, Odisha government Wednesday offered all help to the western state, which has launched a massive evacuation exercise to shift people from low-lying areas of Saurashtra and Kutch regions.

Gujarat Chief Secretary J N Singh called up his Odisha counterpart A P Padhi and sought Odisha's advice on how to tackle the cyclonic storm on a war-footing, officials said Wednesday.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani reviewing preparedness for evacuation operations at state emergency operation center in Gandhinagar in the wake of Cyclone Vayu.

Flight operations from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport to Porbandar, Diu, Kandla, Mundra and Bhavnagar are cancelled for tomorrow.

With Cyclone Vayu likely to hit the Gujarat coast on Thursday, the Navy has kept itself ready to respond to any developing situation expeditiously.

According to a statement, the Western Naval Command, Mumbai is ready with Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) bricks, and relief material has already been embarked on board nominated ships, which are ready to be deployed at short notice.

The National Disaster Response Force team with the help of police and civil administration has evacuated 65 people from Diu and shifted them to shelters.

Kandla port temporarily closed as Cyclone Vayu is expected to make a landfall in Gujarat on Thursday morning. Locals who live in areas near the port & fishermen are being evacuated to safer places by NDRF

20 villages in the district have been put on alert ahead of landfall of Cyclone Vayu in Gujarat tomorrow morning. 39 schools in villages near the coasts in Valsad will remain closed. Fire and rescue teams are also on alert.

Mumbai and some neighbouring coastal areas of Maharashtra witnessed a windy Wednesday morning as cyclone 'Vayu' turned into a "very severe cyclonic storm", the weather department said.

As the cyclone continued to progress towards Saurashtra and Kutch regions of neighbouring Gujarat, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) upgraded its severity condition.

Cyclone Vayu is expected to make a landfall in Gujarat on Thursday morning. Tourists visiting Dwarka, Somnath, Sasan, Kutch, have been advised to leave for safer places after the afternoon of 12 June

The chief secretary of Gujarat said approximately 2.8 lakh people from the vulnerable areas along the coast would be evacuated on Wednesday.

“Cyclone Vayu is soon going to reach Gujarat. I appeal to all the Congress workers to be prepared to extend help and assistance in the area which it passes through. I pray for the safety and well being of all the people in the areas affected by cyclone Vayu,” tweeted Congress President Rahul Gandhi

The IMD has said Cyclone Vayu is expected to touch Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Mahuva around Veraval and Diu region as a severe cyclonic storm with wind speed of 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph during early morning of June 13.

The NDRF team will carry out HADR missions in Gujarat, for the people affected by Cyclone Vayu

The Union Home Ministry on Tuesday issued detailed advisories to Gujarat and the Union Territory of Diu, requesting them to take all precautionary measures to ensure that no human life is lost in view of the cyclone "Vayu" which is likely to hit Gujarat on Thursday.

The advisory also aimed at minimising damage to vital infrastructure and ensuring early recovery of all essential services after the cyclone makes landfall, a Home Ministry statement said.