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WORLD NEWS Friday 14 June 2019

Cyclone batters fishing hub but veers away from Indian coast

By AJIT SOLANKI dence leader Mahatma
Associated Press Gandhi. Though 100 kilo-
VERAVAL, India (AP) — A meters (62 miles) offshore,
cyclone in the Arabian Sea Vayu was whipping Por-
battered an Indian fish- bander with winds up to
ing hub with heavy wind, 60 kilometers (37 miles) per
waves and rain Thursday hour.
and was forecast to bring Pilgrims entered a seaside
dangerous weather con- Hindu temple undeterred
ditions even as it veered by waves crashing against
away from the subconti- the exterior in the coastal
nent’s western coast. city of Dwarka, which Hin-
The India Meteorological dus believe is the center of
Department said Cyclone Lord Krishna’s kingdom.
Vayu, named after the With the worst averted, res-
Hindi word for wind and cue workers, including 50
the season’s second major teams from the National
storm, was moving parallel Disaster Relief Force and
to the coast of the western around 1,000 Indian navy
state of Gujarat, unlikely to and army personnel, were
hit it head on as previously searching for any villagers
forecast but instead turn to- who remained in coastal
ward the center of the sea. Indians watch as waves crash with shores on the Arabian Sea coast in Veraval, Gujarat, India, areas to urge them to re-
Pakistan warned of rough Thursday, June 13, 2019. locate to school build-
seas and dangerous heat, Associated Press ings and other designated
though the cyclone wasn’t An unprecedented evacu- efforts continued Thursday. and rain from Vayu bat- evacuation sites.
expected to directly hit the ation effort that involved “We have alerted peo- tered the beaches. Fish- People were piled into flat-
port city of Karachi. relocating about a million ple from 70 villages and ing boats were splintered bed trucks and buses and
In anticipation of the storm, people ahead of Fani was are trying to tell others to by huge waves crashing driven away from the shore.
rescue workers evacuated credited with saving many evacuate as well. There is a onto shore. Local police “We expect the high winds
nearly 300,000 people, tak- lives. chance that the storm will were making a last-minute to remain until tomor-
ing a cue from Cyclone Though not as severe as pick up pace and become appeal to hut dwellers to row morning and some
Fani, which came ashore Fani and unlikely to make stronger now,” Gujarat leave their homes. disturbances to remain
on India’s eastern coast in landfall, Indian authorities state minister Jawaharbhai A blanket of steady rain until around Saturday or
May, killing 34 people in In- cautioned that Vayu could Chavda said. came down in the coastal Sunday,” said Hemendra
dia and 15 in neighboring leave dangerous condi- In Veraval, a hub of India’s city of Porbandar, the birth- Khatma, assistant force
Bangladesh. tions in its wake. Evacuation fishing industry, heavy wind place of Indian indepen- commander.q
Philippines protests sinking of boat in disputed waters

By JIM GOMEZ Another opposition sena- China converted seven
Associated Press tor, Risa Hontiveros, called disputed reefs into islands
MANILA, Philippines (AP) on President Rodrigo which can serve as forward
— The Philippines’ top dip- Duterte to recall the Phil- military bases and intimi-
lomat said Thursday he has ippine ambassador and date rival claimant states
filed a diplomatic protest consuls in China to pressure in the strategic waterway,
after an anchored fishing Beijing to identify and pun- where U.S. forces under-
boat was hit by a suspect- ish the Chinese crewmen take “freedom of naviga-
ed Chinese vessel which allegedly involved in the in- tion” patrols.
then abandoned the 22 Fili- cident. China condemned Defense Secretary Delfin
pino fishermen as the boat the incident but did not im- Lorenzana disclosed on
sank in the disputed South mediately confirm or deny Wednesday that a boat,
China Sea. that a Chinese vessel was identified as F/B Gimver 1,
Foreign Secretary Teodoro A protester holds a slogan during a rally outside the Chinese involved. was carrying 22 Filipino fish-
Locsin Jr. said he filed the Consulate in the financial district of Makati, metropolitan The sinking is a delicate de- ermen and sank Sunday
protest Wednesday. He dis- Manila, Philippines to mark Independence Day on Wednesday, velopment in the long-con- night after being hit by the
closed the move in a tweet June 12, 2019. tested South China Sea, suspected Chinese vessel
in response to a suggestion Associated Press which is seen as a potential at Reed Bank off the west-
by opposition Sen. Antonio dent investigation be con- al Maritime Organization, a flashpoint in Asian relations. ern Philippine province of
Trillanes IV that an indepen- ducted by the Internation- U.N. agency. Tensions escalated after Palawan.q