On June 13, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an Orange alert for Saurashtra and Kutch coasts in Gujarat as the cyclonic storm Biparjoy is set to cross the Jakhau Port in Gujarat by the evening of June 15 as Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS).
“Cyclone Warning for Saurashtra and Kutch Coasts: Orange Message. VSCS BIPARJOY at 0530IST of today about 300km WSW of Porbandar, 290km SW of Devbhumi Dwarka, 340km SSW of Jakhau Port, 350km SSW of Naliya. To cross near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by the evening of June 15 as VSCS,” the IMD tweeted.
The IMD has been providing regular updates about the cyclonic storm that is gushing through the Arabian Sea.
The cyclonic storm has weakened from an extremely severe cyclone to a very severe cyclone on June 13, but it remained on course to the Saurashtra-Kutch coast of Gujarat. With the IMD predicting that Biparjoy will make landfall on June 15, the Western Railway cancelled 67 trains and short-terminated or short-originated 43 others as a precautionary measure.
Even as the intensity of the cyclone decreased, IMD continued its orange alert for the Saurashtra-Kutch coast as Biparjoy is likely to bring heavy rain, and squally winds. Meanwhile, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is scheduled to fly to Bhuj, the district headquarters of Kutch to monitor the situation.
On June 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel regarding the impending Cyclone Biparjoy and assured all possible help to the state.
“Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modi received details regarding the status of Cyclone Biparjoy in Gujarat and the preparedness of the system through a telephonic conversation. He assured to provide all possible help to Gujarat in this situation of disaster,” the Gujarat CM tweeted.
PM Modi also chaired a high-level meeting on June 12, to review the preparedness of ministries and agencies of the Centre as well as Gujarat to deal with the situation.
He directed senior officers to take every possible measure to ensure that the State Government safely evacuates people living in vulnerable locations and to ensure maintenance of all essential services such as power, telecommunications, health, drinking water, etc., and are restored immediately in the event of damage caused to them.
Cyclone Biparjoy is likely to enter southwest Rajasthan on June 16, officials informed. In view of the cyclone, the North Western Railway (NWR) has cancelled some train services, news agency PTI reported. “Cyclonic storm Biparjoy is likely to weaken and enter south-western Rajasthan as a depression on June 16,” Radheshyam Sharma, in-charge of the Jaipur Meteorological Centre, said. Due to the effect of the storm, the activities of thunderstorms and rain are likely to start in the districts of Jodhpur and Udaipur divisions only after the afternoon of June 15, he added.
