Cyclone Biparjoy wreaks havoc in Gujarat’s coastal region, Rajasthan to witness heavy to very heavy rainfall

New Delhi, June 16 (UNI) Cyclonic storm Biparjoy left a trail of destruction in Sauarashtra-Kutch region after it made landfall on Thursday evening at around 6:30 pm, with a wind speed of 115 to 125 kmph.

As per officials, at least 22 people were injured, while hundreds of trees have got uprooted due to strong winds, damaging the power supply in as many as 940 villages, and low-lying areas near the sea were flooded.

Relief Commissioner Alok Pandey said that as many as 20 electricity poles and 524 trees have fallen over 900 villages of Kutch and Saurashtra region.

He informed maximum of 23 trees have fallen in Dwarka and there is no casualty has been reported yet. He added that a total of 23 animals have died due to Cyclonic storm Biparjoy.

The Kutch region is still reeling under the fury of Biparjoy as the gusty winds and rain continued on Friday morning, sweeping across this border district.

According to IMD by noon wind speed will come down in Gujarat to below 40 kms but rains will continue.

The IMD said that cyclone Biparjoy has weakened into a cyclonic storm and will further turn into a depression over south Rajasthan on Friday.

IMD Director Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said, “Cyclone Biporjoy moved northeastwards and crossed the Saurashtra-Kutch adjoining Pakistan coast close to the Jakhau port, Gujarat.

The category has changed from “very severe cyclonic storm” (VSCS) to severe cyclonic storm (SCS). There may be heavy rains in Rajasthan on June 16.”

The IMD has predicted that  Cyclone Biparjoy will continue to impact the regional weather for the next 24-48 hours, triggering extremely heavy rains over parts of Northern Gujarat and Southern Rajasthan.

After the weakening of the cyclonic storm, Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said “There have been no casualties due to cyclone Biparjoy as of now in the Kachchh district”

He added that road clearance work is underway in many parts of the coastal districts.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel over the phone on Thursday night and enquired about the situation in the state following the landfall of powerful cyclone ‘Biparjoy’.

The Prime Minister also sought to know the steps taken by the state administration for the safety of wild animals, especially the lions in the Gir forest.