- 47 people injured; 234 cattle killed
- Electricity will be restored in entire cyclone-affected area by June 20
- Power has been restored in 1,600 out of the 3,400 villages where the supply was cut
- The state government will soon carry out a survey of damage to crops, horticulture and boats and announce a relief package: Shah
NE NEWS SERVICE
BHUJ, JUNE 17
Live: બિપરજોય વાવાઝોડા સંદર્ભે માનનીય કેન્દ્રીય ગૃહ-સહકાર મંત્રી શ્રી અમિતભાઈ શાહની પ્રેસ કોન્ફરન્સ. સ્થળ: ભૂજ https://t.co/Xx8xXcECRt
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) June 17, 2023
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that it was a major achievement of the Gujarat government that nobody died on account of cyclone Biparjoy which made landfall on the Kutch coast with a wind speed of 140 kmph.
માનનીય કેન્દ્રીય ગૃહ-સહકાર મંત્રી શ્રી અમિતભાઈ શાહે આજે મુખ્યમંત્રી શ્રી ભૂપેન્દ્ર પટેલ સાથે બિપરજોય વાવાઝોડાથી કચ્છ જિલ્લાના અસરગ્રસ્ત વિસ્તારોનું હવાઈ સર્વેક્ષણ કર્યું હતું.#CycloneBiparjoy pic.twitter.com/TMmxgNXhMx
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) June 17, 2023
During the aerial assessment of affected/ damaged areas by #Cyclone #Biparjoy (in #ICG #ALH) and overseeing rescue/relief efforts, Sh. Amit Shah, Hon’ble Home Minister of Union visited @IndiaCoastGuard station #Jakhau alongwith Sh. Bhupendrabhai Patel, Hon’ble CM of #Gujarat. pic.twitter.com/Q48qBoMubq
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) June 17, 2023
The way the Gujarat government and the Central agencies have worked to protect lives during Cyclone Biparjoy is a classic example of teamwork, said Amit Shah after conducting an aerial survey of areas affected by the cyclone in Kutch district and meeting the injured in a hospital.
“The Government of Gujarat has presented an excellent example of how timely information can be used to save lives. The government of Gujarat also implemented the NDMA’s guidelines on cyclones completely at the grassroots level in which government departments, public representatives, local people and voluntary organizations made full contribution,” Shah said.
#CycloneBiporjoy #CycloneBiparjoyUpdate@IndiaCoastGuard deploying its assets comprehensively for damage #assessment
Post #LANDFALL of 🌀 #BiparjoyCyclone 03 ICG Dorniers & ALH did 06 sorties to check any adrift boats/objects at #SEA
⚓ *वयम् रक्षामः* ⚓️@giridhararamane pic.twitter.com/m4n6BaUBXZ
— PRO Defence Gujarat (@DefencePRO_Guj) June 17, 2023
Electricity will be restored in the affected areas by June 20, he said during a visit to Bhuj, the headquarters of Kutch district.
Not even a single casualty was reported because of Cyclone Biparjoy, Shah said, hailing the state government for “fully implementing” the NDMA guidelines.
માનનીય કેન્દ્રીય ગૃહ-સહકાર મંત્રી શ્રી અમિતભાઈ શાહે માંડવી ખાતે NDRF/SDRF ના જવાનો સાથે સંવાદ કરી બિપરજોય વાવાઝોડા દરમ્યાન તેમની કામગીરી તેમજ તેમની કર્તવ્યનિષ્ઠાને બિરદાવી. pic.twitter.com/TlGwrdfVyG
— Bhupendra Patel (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Bhupendrapbjp) June 17, 2023
“In the last 40 years, I have visited several places but for the first time, I have seen happy faces without any complaints. This is because of the preparedness of the Gujarat government and the Central agencies working here,” he said.
The home minister informed that 47 people have been injured in the cyclone-related incidents, but none of them is serious. Around 234 animals died during the cyclone, he said.
Shah said power has been restored in 1,600 out of the 3,400 villages where the supply was cut. He added that at present 1,133 teams are engaged in restoring power supply and 400 more teams will be engaged from tomorrow. He said that there were many laborers at the salt plants who were successfully evacuated. Around 1.08 lakh civilians and 73,000 animals had been taken to safe places due to the cyclone.
“Our priority is restoration of electricity, water supply and sending people who are in shelters to their homes,” Shah said.
The minister said that the pattern for the support package has been prepared, and the Gujarat government will make an announcement for the same later.
Nineteen teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 13 teams of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and two Reserve Battalions were deployed. Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Police, and BSF also worked with the NDRF and the SDRF to ensure safety, Shah said.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ordered to make all arrangements before the landfall of the cyclone. The PM himself had discussions with the state government and agencies regarding the preparedness,” he noted.
Shah landed in Kutch district headquarters Bhuj in a chopper and conducted an aerial survey of Jakhau, which bore the brunt of the powerful cyclone on Thursday night. He was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendera Patel.
He visited the Mandvi sub-district hospital and met injured people and pregnant women who were shifted from coastal villages hit by the cyclone, which had made landfall near Jakhau port.
Shah also visited a farm near Mandvi to assess the damage caused to crops and interacted with farmers.
He met personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Border Security Force (BSF) at Mandvi airport who were involved in the relief and rescue operations.
The Union home minister flew back to Bhuj and discussed the post-cyclone situation.
Earlier, the Union Home Minister chaired a review meeting at Bhuj on preparedness before and during the cyclone, damages caused and restoration measures. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel and other senior officials of the state. Secretaries and senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Power and Ministry of Telecommunications and Director General of IMD and NDRF joined the meeting through video conferencing.
The state government will soon carry out a survey of damage to crops, horticulture and boats and announce a relief package, he told reporters.
Amit Shah said that a document should be prepared on action taken by all the agencies from the time of Cyclone Biparjoy warning till now so that the huge success achieved in dealing with the disaster could be disseminated to the public. He said that this document will be proved a role model in dealing with future natural calamities. He added that it should be publicized and disseminated across the country as a success story.
