He said,"Persons shifted to shelter homes will stay there and others should continue to stay in safe areas. Preparedness is to continue at the same level."

No casualties have been recorded due to Cyclone Vayu till now. The deaths (6 deaths in last 2 days) are not due the cyclone, rather they are due to monsoon, says Pankaj Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary of Revenue, Gujarat.

National Disaster Management Authority of India (NDMA) has tweeted saying, "Gale winds speed of the order of 135-145 kmph gusting to 160 kmph very likely to prevail over the north Arabian Sea and Gujarat coast. It is very likely to be 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph over north Maharashtra Coast and northern parts of east-central Arabian Sea."

The Weather Channel said that the impact of Cyclone Vayu would be 70 mm rain in southwest Gujarat over the next 48 hours. Flash flooding, storm surge, downed trees, power outages and damage to buildings may be expected.

Pankaj Kumar, Additional Chief Secy, Revenue Department, Gujarat government said,''Government alertness for Cyclone Vayu continues with same intensity. Persons shifted to shelter homes to stay there. People should continue to stay in safe areas. Their preparedness to continue at same level.''

The Somnath temple in Gujarat is still open amid alert in the state for cyclone Vayu

After it skirts the Gujarat coast , Vayu is likely to encounter an anti-cyclone over North Arabian Sea which will result its stagnation near the Karachi Coast. There is also a likelihood of Vayu making no landfall and weakening in the sea itself, Skymetweather reported.

Heavy rain likely to occur at isolated places over all districts of coastal Karnataka

"We are still on alert," says DIG Randeep Rana, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)

Cyclone Vayu is likely to weaken after skirting the Gujarat coast near Porbandar. The weakening would take place due to its proximity of the coast as it is likely to become a Category 1 storm. However, winds to the tune of 135 kmph to 145 kmph gusting up to 175 kmph may cause damage over the Gujarat coast.

Gujarat: Six teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are on alert in Porbandar. As per latest update of IMD, Cyclone Vayu won't hit Gujarat, but will have effect on coastal districts

NDRF members seen inside the IAF C-17 aircraft as it lands at Jamnagar, in Gujarat

Meanwhile, Mumbai IMD has issued fresh statement stating that the extent of cyclone is over 900 km. So while eye of cyclone may or may not hit Porbandar, system will still hit. Accompanying risk factors such as wind and storm surge and rainfall, all 3 stay very much threat factors. Hence please don't relax in preparedness.

Manorama Mohanty, scientist at India Meteorological Department (IMD), Ahmedabad said that Cyclone Vayu won't hit Gujarat now as it has changed course overnight. It will skirt through coast of Veraval, Porbandar and Dwarka. Its effect will be seen on the coastal regions as there will be heavy wind speed and heavy rain as well.

Here are some ways that can help you can be prepared for Vayu and its equivalents.

Gujarat Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said,''Temples can't be closed. We have requested tourists not to visit, but 'aarti' being performed since many years can't be stopped.''

In, Maharashtra, Arabian Sea had coupled with high tide on June 12 & 13, all beaches in Kokan region have been shut off to the public.

The cyclonic storm Vayu appears to have changed course overnight. According to India Meteorological Department, very severe cyclonic storm Vayu over east-central Arabian Sea Arabian Sea has moved north-northwestwards in last 6 hours. It is currently 130 kilometres southwest of Veraval in Gujarat and 180 kilometres south of Porbandar. It is likely to move north-northwestwards for some time and then northwestwards, skirting the coast of Saurashtra with wind speeds of 135 kmph to 145 kmph from Thursday afternoon.

Meanwhile, food packets were being prepared by various groups in Rajkot, in the light of Cyclone Vayu . The food packets will be dispatched to the cyclone affected areas of the state, as per the instructions by the government officials.

Gale wind speed of the order of 145-155 kmph gusting to 170 kmph very likely over north Arabian Sea & Gujarat coast in morning hours and decrease gradually thereafter. It is very likely to be 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph over north Maharashtra Coasts & northern parts of eastcentral Arabian Sea.

The fishermen are advised not to venture into Eastcentral Arabian Sea and along & off Maharashtra Coast on 12th; north Arabian sea and along & off Gujarat coast on 12th & 13th.

Storm surge of height of about 1.5-2.0 m above the astronomical tides likely to inundate the low lying coastal areas of Kutch, Devbhoomi, Dwarka, Porbandar, Junagarh, Diu, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts at the time of landfall.

Damage Expected and Action suggested for Kutch, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh, Diu, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts of Gujarat: (i) Total destruction of thatched houses/extensive damage to Kutcha houses. Some damage to pucca houses. Potential threat from flying objects. (ii) Bending/uprooting of power and communication poles. (iii) Major damage to Kutcha and Pucca roads. Flooding of escape routes. Minor disruption of railways, overhead power lines and signalling systems. (iv) Widespread damage to standing crops, plantation, orchards, falling of green coconuts and tearing of palm fronds. Blowing down bushy trees like mango.

The sea condition is likely to be very rough to high along and off the Maharashtra Coast and northern parts of the east central Arabian Sea until June 13, the IMD says.

The sea condition is phenomenal over eastcentral and adjoining northeast Arabian Sea and Gujarat coast during next 12 hours and over north Arabian Sea and Gujarat coast during 13-15 June, the IMD also says.

Vayu very likely to move nearly north-northwestwards along Saurashtra coast affecting Amreli, Gir Somnath, Diu,Junagarh, Porbandar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka&Kutch dist of Gujarat with wind speed 155-165 kmph gusting to 180 kmph likely from afternoon,13 June, reports ANI.

Latest IMD bulletin on June 12 evening: The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘VAYU’ (pronounced as VAA’YU) over Eastcentral Arabian Sea moved further north-northwestwards with a speed of about 13 kmph in last six hours and lay centred at 2030 hrs IST of 12th June, 2019 near latitude 19.5°N and longitude 69.8°E over Eastcentral & adjoining Northeast Arabian Sea, about 320 km nearly west of Mumbai (Maharashtra), 160 km southsouthwest of Veraval (Gujarat) and 240 km nearly south of Porbandar (Gujarat).It is very likely to move nearly northwards and cross Gujarat coast between Dwarka and Veraval as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm with wind speed 155-165 kmph gusting to 180 kmph around afternoon of 13th June 2019.

According to Skymet Weather, Cyclone Vayu is moving at a fast pace of around 15 kmph. With this, clouding have already reached Saurashtra region of Gujarat.

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Vayu is expected to hit Gujarat coast by wee hours of June 13. It would then give heavy to extremely heavy rains over the coastal districts of Gujarat such as Veraval, Porbandar, Junagarh, Dwarka, Amreli and Rajkot. Along with this, sea conditions too will be rough to very rough over the Gujarat coast. The wind speed will be around 140-150 kmph gusting to 170 kmph at the time of landfall near Porbandar, as per skymetweather.com.

"47 troops of NDRF have reached Gujarat, 5-6 more teams will reach by morning. Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard have taken their positions. State Disaster Mgmt is at work. Police patrolling will be done throughout the night so that no one is left in the lower regions," says CM Rupani.

"More than 2.75 Lakh people evacuated. All sea-related activities have been stopped. All departments are on alert. Senior Ministers and Senior Secretaries have been sent to control rooms of dist admn, they are monitoring situation. Planning had been done in advance," says Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani.

CM Vijay Rupani held a meeting: