The IMD has predicted that it (Cyclone Biparjoy) will turn into a depression by 12 pm tomorrow (June 16), and its speed will decrease to less than 40 km/hour. There is a possibility of minimal damage," says NDRF IG Narendra Singh Bundela.
"The main impact will be in Gujarat's Kachchh area and south area of Rajasthan. Heavy rains are expected and chances of flood are also there": Narendra Singh Bundela, IG, NDRF
The control room is working round the clock. Extra employees have also been deputed there. More than 25 complaints were received at the control room today but they were about the uprooting of trees, power cuts and damage to sheds of 'kachcha' houses. But no lives lost so far..," says Vikram Varu, Mamlatdar (gazetted officer of the State Government)
"...We're expecting winds of approximately 130 km per hour, with heavy rainfall in the northern Gujarat area...naval stations in the Gujarat area..., are ready with over 25 specialist teams. These teams comprise diverse medical specialists, good swimmers along with equipment like portable chain sets, cutting tools that are very useful in removal of debris and fallen trees...": Rear Admiral Kunal Rajkumar, Chief Staff Officer, OPS, Western Naval command
NDRF DG Atul Karwal saidthe NDRF has also kept on alert 15 teams in the north, east and south of the country to airlift them and reinforce the strength of these 33 teams which have been earmarked for cyclone relief and rescue work in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
A total of 18 teams have been stationed in Gujarat which is predicted to take the maximum brunt of the cyclonic storm and resulting strong winds and heavy rains.
"Cyclone Biparjoy is moving in the North-East direction and will hit the coast of Kutch and Pakistan by the evening. Due to the cyclone, Kutch district will be most impacted and will witness heavy rainfall and gusty winds," saidIMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.
Heavy rain lashedJakhau ahead of the landfall of cyclone Biparjoyin Kutch district onThursday, June 15, 2023. Credit: PTI Photo
Fishing boats have been anchored, large ships sent to high seas, more than 4,000 hoardings taken down and salt pan workers and pregnant women have been taken to safer places as authorities have evacuated about 1 lakh people in Gujarat in the wake of Cyclone 'Biparjoy', NDRF DG Atul Karwal said Thursday.(PTI)
The information and broadcasting ministry asked media organisations, including television channels, on Thursday to take "abundant precaution" while deploying their personnel to cover Cyclone Biparjoy to ensure their safety.
As on Thursday morning, Cyclone Biparjoy was less than 200 kilometres from the Gujarat coast and its impending landfall in the evening, along with the anticipated heavy rain and storm surge, has led to the evacuation of 74,000 people living in vulnerable areas.(PTI)
A man walks through deserted Ashira Vandh village following evacuations as part of precautionary measures ahead of the landfall of Cyclone Biparjoy, near Jakhau port in Kutch district, Thursday, June 15, 2023. Credit: PTI Photo
Around 62,000 people have been evacuated to safer places in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province ahead of Cyclone Biparjoy's expected landfall on Thursday.
Biparjoy, currently a “very severe cyclonic storm”, is inching closer to India and Pakistan, prompting authorities to take preventive measures to minimise the damage it may cause to life and property.
It is expected to make landfall between Keti Bandar Port in Sindh's Thatta district and Kutch district in India.
Cyclone Biparjoy is less than 200 kilometres from the Gujarat coast and its impending landfall on Thursday evening, along with the anticipated heavy rain and storm surge, have led to the evacuation of 74,000 people living in vulnerable areas, authorities have said.
The administration has shifted people from nearly 120 villages located between zero and 10 km from the seashore in Kutch district.(PTI)
Sea conditions will remain disturbed today in northeast Arabian Sea due to cyclone Biparjoy. All fishing operations should remain suspended. Offshore activities, port and industrial activities andoil explorations should be regulated today, saidDr Mrityunjay Mohapatra, Director General, IMD.
A drone view shows dark clouds over Mandvi beach before the arrival of cyclone Biparjoy in the western state of Gujarat, India, June 15, 2023. Credit: Reuters Photo
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot held a meeting with officials on Wednesday night to review the arrangements made to deal with the impact of very severe cyclone Biparjoy which is expected to make landfall on the coast of neighbouring Gujarat on Thursday.
'Biparjoy' means “disaster” in Bengali. Ithad been the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane Wednesday but it weakened to a dangerous Category 1 storm, with sustained winds of 75 mph and gusts up to 92 mph early Thursday in Pakistan and India, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
It is expected to weaken to a strong tropical storm as it approaches Jakhau Port in India, with winds dropping slightly below 74 mph.
Cyclone Biparjoy, the latest tropical storm brewing in the Arabian Sea, has been making headlines across India. But have you ever wondered how the cyclones get their names?
Weather forecasters give each tropical cyclone a name to avoid confusion, according to the World Meteorological Organisation. In general, tropical cyclones are named according to the rules at regional level.
For the Indian Ocean region, a formula for naming cyclones wasagreed upon in 2000. Thirteen countries in the region - Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen - contributed a set of names, which are assigned sequentially whenever a cyclonic storm develops.
Meanwhile,Indian Army has deployed more than 27 relief columns across Gujarat as well as at the forward locations of Mandvi, and Dwarka. Army authorities have also jointly started relief operations along with civil administration as well as with the NDRF teams, saidWing Commander N Manish, Defence PRO andSpokesperson of Ministry of Defence, Gujarat.
"In consonance with its firm resolve to mitigate the hardships felt by the population during times of natural disaster all armed forces that are the Army, Navy, Air Force and Indian Coast Guard have prepared themselves to provide assistance to the locals in view of cyclone Biparjoy in Gujarat," he said.
Biparjoyis a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm with damaging potential. Two to three metres high tidal waves are expected in Kachchh and extremely heavy rainfall with high windspeed expected in Porbandar and Dwarka districts, saysDr Mrityunjay Mohapatra, Director General, IMD.
Four Indian Navy ships with HADR bricksembarked are on standby at short notice. Five relief teams each at Porbandar and Okha and 15 relief teams at Valsura are on standby. Helos at INS Hansa in Goa and INS Shikra in Mumbai are ready for embarkation to Gujarat: Indian Navy
"Our ships, disaster response teams are ready, along with other agencies of the state and central governments," said Our ships, disaster response teams are ready, says Vice Chief of Naval Staff Sanjay Jasjit Singh on Indian Navy's preparedness for Cyclone Biparjoy.
The National Disaster Management Authority has largely divided the do's and don'ts regarding the cyclone into 4 parts from before the cyclone season till the cyclone has passed the region.
The actions that need to be taken in the event of a cyclone threat can broadly be divided into four categories:
When your area is under cyclone warning:
> Get away from low-lying areas close to the coast
> Leave early before your way to high ground or shelter gets flooded
> Board up glass windows or put storm shutters in place.
>Have strong support for outside doors.
> Paste paper strips on glasses to prevent splinters.
> Get extra ready-to-eat food and store extra drinking water.
According to theIMD, very severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy willcross Saurashtra andKutch andadjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi andKarachi near Jakhau Port by today evening.
The Western Railway (WR) on Wednesday decided to cancel or short- terminate the operation of a few more trains as a precaution in view of the powerful cyclone 'Biparjoy' which is expected to make landfall in adjoining Gujarat on Thursday evening.
The Gujarat government evacuated about74,435 citizens so far to safe places in eight districts which are likely to be affected by the cyclone Biparjoy which is expected to make landfall near Jakhau port in Kutch district by Thursday evening. 4,604 in Junagadh, 34,300 in Kutch, 10,000 in Jamnagar, 3,469 in Porbandar, 5,035 in Devbhoomi Dwarka, 1,605 in Gir Somnath, 9,243 in Morbi and 6,089 in Rajkot have been evacuated.