Cyclone Phyan: Centre puts 5 states, 3 UTs on alert

NEW DELHI: As the sea became rough due to cyclonic storm Phyan, the Home Ministry on Wednesday put on alert five coastal states and three Union Territories and sent disaster relief response force for their assistance.

Ministry of Defence has also alerted the Air Force. Assessing the impact of the movement of the cyclone, the Home Ministry sent advisories to Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra besides Union Territories of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep to be on alert.

Eight such advisories have been sent to the states and UTs so far, a Home Ministry spokesperson said.

A team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also been sent to Kothagiri in the Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu where a school has been marooned following heavy rains.

Following the movement of this cyclonic depression and the consequential heavy rainfall caused by it, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) battalions in Maharashtra and Gujarat have been put on the alert.

Simultaneously, to meet any emergent requirement of rescue and relief, the NDRF teams comprising about 400 trained personnel with boats and other equipments, have been pre-positioned in Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Another 200 men have been kept in readiness for Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the movement of a depression in the central Arabian sea region since early yesterday morning is being watched very closely by the India Meteorological Department.