Cyclone Shakhti Shifts Westward; IMD Issues High Alert for Gujarat Coast
The severe cyclonic storm ‘Shakhti’ has changed its course and is now moving westwards away from the Gujarat coast, according to the latest bulletin from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
As of Saturday evening, the storm was centered approximately 580 km west of Dwarka and 580 km west-southwest of Naliya. The IMD forecasts that Cyclone Shakhti will continue on a west-southwestward track into the northwest Arabian Sea before curving east-northeastwards and gradually weakening by October 6th.
Despite the system moving away, the IMD has issued a stern warning for fishermen, advising them not to venture into the northwest Arabian Sea and along the coasts of Gujarat and north Maharashtra from October 4th to 7th due to potentially dangerous sea conditions.
The weather system has already brought significant rainfall to parts of Gujarat. The pilgrimage town of Dwarka recorded 38mm of rain in a 24-hour period, while areas in Sabarkantha and Kutch also experienced wet spells. The temple town of Ambaji saw sudden, heavy rain that led to waterlogging in several market areas.
In Ahmedabad, temperatures dipped slightly below normal, with a high of 34.2°C. The city forecast predicts occasional light rain for Sunday.
Looking ahead, the IMD anticipates the storm’s influence will bring heavy rainfall to parts of south Gujarat on October 8th and 9th, with lighter showers expected in other regions of the state.
