The cyclonic storm Nilofar

At one point, Nilofar’s depression reportedly surpassed that of Cyclone Hudhud, the country’s strongest storm of the season so far

Cyclone Nilofar originated over the Arabian Sea rather innocuously as a low pressure zone that intensified into a depression on 25 October. It then gradually gained in strength to become a cyclonic storm, and by 27 October the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had upgraded it to the category of a ‘very severe’ cyclonic storm. At one point, its depression reportedly surpassed that of Cyclone Hudhud that had begun over the Indian Ocean and was the strongest storm of the season so far.

The cyclone has been classified a Category-1 equivalent of a tropical typhoon by the US-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Considered to be the strongest storm after Cyclone Gonu that hit the Arabian Peninsula in 2007, the storm has been named Nilofar by the Pakistan government. The term refers to a kind of water lily.

India, which has had enormous casualties from cyclones, is now more efficient at mitigating the damages. Before Nilofar hit, fishermen on the coasts of both India and Pakistan were warned and asked to keep off the waters until it passed. Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel ordered the evacuation of people living in huts and weak houses along the coast. Kandla and Mundra ports were ordered to issue warnings to ships, and the Indian Government prepared to deal with floods because of the heavy rainfall expected.

A problem Andhra Pradesh faced because of Hudhud was the breakdown of telecom links in Vijayawada, which bore the brunt of the cyclone. Taking a lesson from that, the Gujarat government has ordered telecom companies to share their infrastructure for 15 days. Trees have been cut, thousands of people evacuated from coastal areas, and a helpline installed as part of the pre-emptive package.

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