Rallies cancelled as Cyclone Ockhi heads for Gujarat, PM asks cadres to help

Mumbai: Cyclone Ockhi is predicted to bypass the Mumbai coast on Tuesday and hit Surat at midnight on Wednesday. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was closely following the advances of the cyclone and appealed to BJP workers across the state to "provide all possible assistance and stand shoulder to shoulder with fellow citizens," in a tweet.

Election rallies to be addressed by top BJP leaders in Gujarat for the upcoming polls have also been cancelled.

Precautionary holiday has been declared in schools and colleges in Mumbai and adjoining districts on Tuesday due to 'serious weather predictions' in view of Cyclone Ockhi, Maharashtra minister Vinod Tawde said on Monday.

Schools and colleges in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Sindhudurga, Thane, Raigad and Palghar Districts will be closed on Tuesday as a precautionary measure.

The Indian Meteorological Department's (IMD) Mumbai observatory issued a rain and thundershower warning for the city and suburbs beginning Monday night owing to the cyclonic storm Ockhi.

Maharashtra and Gujarat are on high alert as cyclone Ockhi has changed its path in the afternoon today.

In the next 24 hours heavy to heavy rainfall is expected in both the state," reported IMD.

Break-down equipment such as Accident Relief Train, Accident Relief medical van, Road ART have been kept in readiness for any eventuality, the Central Railway Mumbai Division informed.

All emergency numbers have been updated. An Emergency cell has been opened at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Kalyan.

More than 250 railway police force and Maharashtra State Security Force personnel have been deployed on crowd management and other related activities at stations.

The disaster management unit of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has issued advisory against visiting beaches in view of high tide alert issued for Monday night and Tuesday morning due to Cyclone Ockhi.

Cyclone Ockhi over east central Arabian sea moved further northwards with speed of 13 kmph on Monday, the MeT department informed. 

It is likely to move North-North Eastward and weaken gradually. 

It will cross coasts of south Gujarat and adjoining North Maharashtra near Surat as a deep depression by midnight of Dec 5, it added.

Rescue teams have been stationed at Surat, about 283 km from Mumbai. 

National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) on Monday reviewed relief and rescue operations in states and Union Territories affected by Cyclone Ockhi. 

The Committee also took stock of preparedness activities in Maharashtra and Gujarat which are likely to be impacted by the cyclone.

NCMC also took note of another depression being formed in South East Bay of Bengal adjoining South Andaman Sea and reviewed preparedness activities undertaken by Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.