India on alert as Cyclone Phyan hits 5 States

Disaster relief response forces have been sent by the Home Ministry to five coastal states and three Union Territories as Cyclone Phyan hit India on Wednesday.

The Indian Air Force has also been alerted by the Ministry of Defence. Advisories have been sent to Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra besides Union Territories of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep by the Home Ministry upon assessing the impact of the movement of the cyclone.

According to a a Home Ministry spokesperson, eight such advisories have been sent to the states and UTs so far. A school has been marooned following heavy rains in Kothagiri in the Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu; a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been sent to the area for rescue operations. Also on alert are the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) battalions in Maharashtra and Gujarat following the movement of this cyclonic depression and the consequential heavy rainfall caused by it.

According to officials, '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'.

The India Meteorological Department is keeping a close eye on the movement of a depression in the central Arabian sea region since early Wednesday morning.