As many as 962 people from Dholera village in Ahmedabad have been evacuated to about 38 shelters that have been set up in the area as the state braces for the impact of the incoming cyclone Tauktae.
Sandeep Sagle, Ahmedabad district collector informed that in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all individuals evacuated to centres are undergoing rapid antigen tests.
"A total of 38 shelters are functioning here. 962 people from Dholera have been evacuated to shelters. All individuals were transferred to shelters after rapid antigen testing. All COVID-19 guidelines are being strictly followed in shelters," Sagle said.
He added that six shelters operating in six villages of Ahmedabad have the capacity to accommodate up to 2,400 people.
"About 4,000-5,000 food packets will be prepared in collaboration with charitable organizations," the District Collector added.
Earlier in the day, Cabinet Minister Kunvarjibhai Bavaliya visited Amreli district on Monday to inspect the preparedness for Cyclone Tauktae in the region.
The cyclone has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the East-central Arabian Sea and has moved North-Northwestwards with a speed of about 20 km per hour in the early hours, and further intensified into an "extremely severe cyclonic storm" on Monday, informed the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Thousands of people were evacuated from low-lying areas along its western coast as a powerful Cyclone Tauktae is expected to make landfall in the state of Gujarat.
IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra had informed that cyclone Tauktae is very likely to cross the Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Mahuva in Bhavnagar district around the early morning of May 18.
He further said that heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected to occur in coastal areas of Gujarat on May 18. Meanwhile, some places may experience extremely heavy rainfall.
( With inputs from ANI )
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