The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned fishermen against venturing into the sea as strong winds are expected along the Gujarat coast from January 22 (Saturday) to January 26.
In its warning, the IMD has stated that “strong winds with speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph are very likely to prevail along and off” both North and South Gujarat coasts.
The fishermen warning for North Gujarat coast includes Jakhau, Mandvi (Kutch), Mundra, New Kandla, Navlakhi, Jamnagar, Salaya, Okha, Porbandar; and Mul Dwarka, Veraval, Diu, Jafrabad, Pipavav, Victor, Bhavnagar, Alang, Bharuch, Dahej, Magdalla and Daman along the South Gujarat coast.
Further, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), too, issued a high wave alert Saturday till 23:30 hours of January 23 along the coast from Jakhau to Diu.
Ruling out the impact of the recent Karachi dust storm along the Gujarat coast, IMD regional director Manorama Mohanty told The Indian Express, “It is not due to the dust storm in Karachi but a western disturbance — a cyclonic circulation over north Pakistan with a trough aloft in mid and upper tropospheric westerlies — reported in our area. Also, there is an induced low-pressure area over the central parts of west Rajasthan and neighbourhood with associated cyclonic circulation.”
However, the weatherman warned of “dust rising winds” over Saurashtra Kutch and at isolated places over North Gujarat Saturday.
In addition, the Met department has also predicted light rain from Saturday night till Sunday morning in Dahod, Mahisagar, Panchmahal, Ahmedabad, Anand, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Tapi, Narmada, Dang and Surat; along with Saurashtra districts, namely Surendranagar, Bhavnagar, Amreli, Rajkot, Devbhoomi Dwarka and Kutch.