As Biparjoy intensifies, Gujarat closes beaches, puts residents on alert

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a heavy rainfall warning for the Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh, and Morbi districts of Gujarat for June 14 and 15. In its bulletin issued at 9.45 am, IMD said Biparjoy is likely to make landfall between Mandvi in Kutch and Karachi in Pakistan on June 15.

“It is very likely to move nearly northward till 14th morning, then move northnortheastwards and cross Saurashtra & Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) around noon of 15th June as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph,” it added.

Due to the cyclone, IMD said sea conditions will remain very rough over the next three days, and the state is also likely to experience squally winds gusting up to 195 kilometre per hour on Sunday. It said the wind speed will fall gradually from Monday onwards.

The surface wind speed picked up in the peninsular Saurashtra late on Saturday with Biparjoy changing its direction to north-eastward and approaching the Saurashtra coast. The Jamnagar city was hit by thundershowers accompanied by stormy winds, uprooting trees and hampering vehicular traffic late on Saturday.

The Gujarat government shut down popular sea beaches like Chowpaty in Porbandar, Shivrajpur near Dwarka in Devbhumi Dwarka, and Mandvi in the Kutch district. Government officials and staff were heard making announcements at the Rupen harbour near Dwarka town as well as in other fishing harbours along the long coastline of the state, telling them they might have to be shifted to safer areas if the cyclone continued to approach Saurashtra coast.

Meanwhile, IMD also issued a wind warning until June 15 saying gale wind speed reaching 155 to 165 km per hour and gusting to 180 km per hour prevailing over East Central and adjoining West Central and Northeast Arabian Sea is likely to increase becoming 165 to 175 km per hour casting to 195 km per hour is likely to prevail from morning and becoming 155-165 kmph gusting to 180 kmph over the region from June 11 night.

Squally wind speeds reaching 40 to 50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph on June 11, 45 to 65 kmph on June 12 and 50 to 60 km per hour gusting to 70 km per hour during June 13 and 14 are likely along and off the Saurashtra and Kutch coasts.

While gale wind speed reaching 65 to 75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph is very likely to prevail along and off the Kutch districts of Gulf of Kutch, and squally wind speed reaching 55 to 65 kmph gusting to 75 km per hour is very lightly along and off Saurashtra coast on June 15.

For along and off Saurashtra and Kutch coasts, the advisory states, “The sea condition is likely to be rough to very rough till June 14 and very high on June 15”.

The government has also been advised to regulate offshore and onshore activities and suspend fishing operations in the Arabian Sea and fishermen have been asked not to venture out into the Central and North Arabian Sea during June 12-15, and along and off Saurashtra-Kutch coasts till June 15. It also advised those out at sea to return to the coast.

“In view of the above, the state governments are advised to keep a close watch, monitor the situation in their areas regularly and take appropriate precautionary measures. District authorities are advised accordingly,” IMD said.

Meanwhile, in the wake of possible widespread impact of Cyclone Biprojoy in the state, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has announced to postpone the school enrolment drive Shala Praveshotsav in six coastal districts of Dwarika, Porbandar, Kutch, Morbi, Jamnagar and Junagadh for the time being.

In other districts of the state, this school enrolment drive will now be held on two days i.e. June 12 and 13 instead of three.