New Delhi: India Meteorological Department has issued a “red alert” as the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Biparjoy’ is likely to hit the Gujarat coast on Thursday evening, with a maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph.
“The cyclone is likely to cross Saurashtra, Kutch, and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi in Gujarat and Karachi in Pakistan near Jakhau Port of Gujarat by Thursday evening with maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting up to 150 kmph” said IMD.
A cyclone located 280 km away from the coast of Kutch is expected to potentially collide near the Jakhau after 4 pm on the 15th of June.
Thereafter, it would decrease gradually becoming 85-95 kmph gusting to 105 kmph over Kachchh and adjoining districts of Saurashtra & Kutch by 16th early morning and squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph by 16th afternoon.
With the cyclone in the Arabian Sea barrelling towards the Gujarat coast, parts of the Saurashtra-Kutch region received heavy rains accompanied by strong winds, the Met department said.
This will be the second cyclone to hit the state in two years after ‘Tauktae’ in May 2021.
According to IMD bulletin, the “Very Severe” Cyclonic Storm “Biparjoy” over the Northeast Arabian Sea is located approximately 280 km west-southwest of Jakhau Port (Gujarat), 290 km west-southwest of Devbhumi Dwarka, 300 km west-southwest of Naliya, 350 km west-northwest of Porbandar, and 340 km south-southwest of Karachi (Pakistan).
More than 74000 people have been moved to shelter homes in Gujarat’s coastal districts of Saurashtra and Kutch as a catastrophic impact of cyclone Biparjoy, which is likely to make landfall near the Jakhau coast in Gujarat’s Kutch district on the evening of June 15 and will traverse all along the Rann upto Rajasthan thereafter.
The astronomical tides along these districts could be upto 3-6 meters in different places likely to inundate the low-lying areas of the above districts during the time of landfall.
Total suspension of fishing operations over Gujarat Coast; Central and adjoining North Arabian sea from 14th June 2023 till 18th June.
Ms. Mohanti, the Regional Director of the Central Meteorological Department, Ahmedabad has indicated the possibility of rainfall in districts such as Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, and Patan in North Gujarat also on 15th June.
As many as 13 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in the state.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday spoke to the three service chiefs and reviewed the preparations of the armed forces to deal with the impact of cyclone ‘Biparjoy’.
After reviewing the preparations, Singh said the armed forces are ready to provide every possible assistance to civil authorities in tackling any situation or contingency that may arise due to the cyclone.
The Indian Navy has positioned four ships equipped with HADR bricks, ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice.
In addition, there are five relief teams stationed at both Porbandar and Okha, along with 15 relief teams at Valsura, prepared to provide aid and support to the civil authorities.
Furthermore, helicopters stationed at INS Hansa in Goa and INS Shikra in Mumbai are standing by for immediate transportation to Gujarat.
Border Security Force (BSF) jawans are providing shelter to people residing in the villages in coastal areas of Kutch, at their BOP (Border Outpost).
Meanwhile, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya inspects hospitals in Kutch and sought information on oxygen, ventilators, and critical care beds that are available.
He also reviewed the preparations made to ensure health facilities that might be needed post-cyclone.
Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon is set to advance further into the southern peninsula and eastern parts of the country from Sunday after an initial delay in its onset over Kerala.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said Cyclone Biparjoy has completely detached itself from the monsoonal flow and will have no impact on the progress of the seasonal rainfall system.
“Had Cyclone Biparjoy moved north-westwards towards Oman, it would have affected the monsoonal flow,” he said.
