NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister J P Nadda today spoke to health ministers of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, assuring them of all help from the Centre for dealing with the possible damage caused by Cyclone Ockhi.
"The Centre will provide full cooperation and assistance to the cyclone-affected states in terms of preventive and relief measures for managing the situation," a health ministry statement said.
Nadda said his ministry is geared up with all necessary resources and a team of doctors has been put on standby for any exigency.
He also directed the officials in his ministry to stay in touch with the state health departments for any assistance.
After dumping rains in Mumbai, Cyclone Ockhi moved closer to Gujarat today and the landfall was likely near Surat, as several top leaders were forced to cancel their rallies in the poll-bound state which experienced showers.
The cyclonic storm passed the Mumbai coast bringing rains in its wake, but did not cause any damage to life or property, a senior civic official said. It earlier caused havoc in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep islands.
Due to the impact of the cyclone, Mumbai and its suburbs experienced rains since the morning, but it subsided by the afternoon even as hailstorm lashed some sections of the Munbai-Pune Expressway. The country's financial capital had also experienced showers last night.
As Gujarat remained on alert, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to BJP workers to extend a helping hand to those in need. The cyclone is expected to make a landfall around midnight tonight on the state's southern coast in Surat.
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