Cyclone Asna leaves no major impact on Gujarat, moves towards Oman

Cyclone Asna forms over Kutch, Gujarat, moves towards Oman with minimal impact, prompting precautionary measures and evacuations.

Cyclone Asna, which formed over the coast of Kutch in Gujarat earlier during the day, has moved into the Arabian Sea towards Oman without leaving any major impact on the region, officials said on Friday (August 30, 2024) evening.

“As a precautionary measure, the local administration had shifted nearly 3,500 persons to safer locations and had asked people living in huts and mud houses to take shelter in other buildings,” said Kutch district collector Amit Arora.

"Since the cyclone has already entered the sea and is heading towards Oman, there was an impact on the coast. Except for some rain and winds blowing at considerable speed, there was no impact here. There was no immediate news about injury or death or collapse of any major structure," said Mr. Arora.

In a release issued on Friday (August 30, 2024) evening, the India Metrological Department (IMD) said, the deep depression over the Kutch coast and adjoining areas of Pakistan had “intensified into Cyclonic Storm Asna and lay centered at 11:30 a.m. over the same region nearly 190 km west-northwest of Bhuj”.

The IMD had earlier said the deep depression over the area might turn into a cyclonic storm by Friday (August 30, 2024) morning, following which authorities took steps to shift people to safety.

Arora had also issued a video message asking people living in Abdasa, Mandvi and Lakhpat talukas to leave their huts and kutcha houses and take shelter in any school or other buildings.

Following the IMD warning, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reached the State Emergency Operations Centre in Gandhinagar on Thursday (August 29, 2024) night and talked to Arora through video conference about the district administration's preparedness.