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Cyclonic storm Biparjoy Tuesday weakened from an extremely severe cyclone to a very severe cyclone. However, it remained on course to the Saurashtra-Kutch coast of Gujarat. The state government has decided to start evacuating people from vulnerable areas up to five kilometre inland from Tuesday onwards and will evacuate people living in huts and kuchcha houses up to 10 km inland Wednesday.
By Monday evening, more than 8,000 people had been moved to temporary cyclone shelters as a precautionary measure. Schools have also been ordered shut in the six coastal districts.
Cyclone Biparjoy is also 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.
Indian Railways have activated the disaster management room and also opened emergency control rooms in several districts of Gujarat to ensure smooth rail functioning, PTI reported.
"State government and Central government are on alert. We have 12 NDRF teams and they have been deployed in Kutch, Porbander, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Dwarka, Gir Somnath, Morbi and Rajkot districts," Relief Commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey informed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Monday regarding the status and preparedness for impending Cyclone Biparjoy, news agency ANI reported.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi also held a review meeting to assess the preparedness to tackle the fallout from the cyclone. At the meeting, the PM directed senior officials to take every possible measure to ensure that people living in vulnerable locations are safely evacuated by the Gujarat government.
With the India Meteorological Department (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.
As the cyclone is likely to affect coastal Junagadh, Porbandar, Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, and Morbi districts of Saurashtra region and Kutch, the Western Railway cancelled 67 trains till June 14 or June 15 while short-terminating 23 and deciding to short-originate 20 other trains passing through the area likely to be affected by the cyclonic weather. They include local and long-duration trains.
In view of impending cyclone, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is scheduled to fly to Bhuj, the district headquarters of Kutch to monitor the situation.
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 having speeds of 45 to 55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph. As per the IMD prediction, Biparjoy is likely to made landfall near the Jakhau port of Kutch between Mandvi in Kutch and Karachi in Pakistan at around noon on June 15 as a very severe cyclone, having sustained wind speed of 125 to 135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph.
A control office has been made operational at Gandhidham. Hotlines between HQ disaster control and divisional disaster control will ensure smooth functioning. A close liaison is being maintained by divisional officers for regular updates with IMD and State Government.
Palghar district administration Monday banned the movement of people near the coast from June 13 to June 15, in light of cyclone 'Biparjoy', news agency ANI reported.
It is after 25 years that Gujarat coast is bracing for a cyclone in June. Biparjoy will be only the fifth cyclone of the ‘severe’ (wind speed of 48 – 63 kms/hr) or higher category to cross Gujarat, if realised, as per the forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Biparjoy is the only third ‘extremely severe’ cyclone to develop in the Arabian Sea in June in 58 years, the data suggested.
Developed in the Arabian Sea, cyclone Biparjoy, earlier expected to move towards the Pakistan coastline, has now changed its path and is heading towards the northern Gujarat coast.
According to India’s Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC), the cyclone might cause storm surges of 2-3 metres in height, destruction of thatched houses, damage to pucca houses and roads, floodings, widespread damage to standing crops, plantations and orchards, and disruption of railways, powerlines and signalling systems in the northern and western coastal districts of Gujarat.
According to India’s Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC), the cyclone might cause storm surges of 2-3 metres in height, destruction of thatched houses, damage to pucca houses and roads, floodings, widespread damage to standing crops, plantations and orchards, and disruption of railways, powerlines and signalling systems in the northern and western coastal districts of Gujarat. Read more
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