- Destructive wind force uprooted many trees and electric polls near Jakhau and Mandvi towns of Kutch as tin sheets and plastic shades were blown away
- Heavy rains and strong winds lash coastal districts in Saurashtra, Kutch
- IB Ministry urges media organizations to not compromise on safety and security of deployed personnel, take abundant precautions
NE NEWS SERVICE
GANDHINAGAR, JUNE 15
Strong winds and heavy rains lashed Kutch and Saurashtra coasts as powerful cyclone Biparjoy made landfall near Jakhau Port in Gujarat on Thursday evening after churning across the Arabian Sea for more than 10 days as multi-agency response teams remained on high alert for relief and rescue operations.
ગુજરાતના દરિયાકાંઠે બિપરજોય વાવાઝોડાની પરિસ્થિતિ પર સતત નજર રાખી રહેલા મુખ્યમંત્રી શ્રી ભૂપેન્દ્ર પટેલ આજે મોડી રાત્રે ગાંધીનગર ખાતેના સ્ટેટ ઇમરજન્સી ઓપરેશન સેન્ટર પહોંચ્યા હતા તેમજ ઉચ્ચ અધિકારીઓ સાથે બેઠક કરીને આપત્તિ વ્યવસ્થાપન અંગેની વિગતો મેળવી મહત્વપૂર્ણ માર્ગદર્શન આપ્યું… pic.twitter.com/KXlJLW1R6j
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) June 15, 2023
The cyclone, which was moving laterally at 10-15 kmph, lashed the coastal regions with wind speeds of up to 130 kmph.
માનનીય વડાપ્રધાન શ્રી નરેન્દ્રભાઈ મોદીએ આજે મોડી રાત્રે મુખ્યમંત્રી શ્રી ભૂપેન્દ્ર પટેલ સાથે ટેલીફોનીક વાતચીત કરીને ગુજરાત પર તોળાઈ રહેલા બિપરજોય વાવાઝોડાની પરિસ્થિતિની સંપૂર્ણ વિગતો મેળવી હતી. માનનીય વડાપ્રધાનશ્રીએ ગીર ફોરેસ્ટના સિંહ સહિત વન્ય પ્રાણીઓની સલામતીની વ્યવસ્થાની વિગતો…
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) June 15, 2023
The landfall process will be completed by midnight, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
There was no report of any loss of life so far in the state, though three persons were injured in Devbhoomi Dwarka district after a tree fell on them, a state minister said.
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63 57 23 99 64#CycloneBiporjoy #Gujaratcyclone pic.twitter.com/TZriY1WOyj— BJP Gujarat (@BJP4Gujarat) June 15, 2023
Ahead of the landfall near Jakhau Port in Kutch district, about one lakh people in the path of Biparjoy (meaning disaster or calamity in Bengali) in coastal districts were moved to safer places.
Team effort’s make everything better🙏🏼
Team Gujarat
Team Dwarka✌🏻#StaySafe #CycloneAlert pic.twitter.com/Z8hXA9vqyo— Harsh Sanghavi (Modi ka Parivar) (@sanghaviharsh) June 15, 2023
“Dense convective clouds have entered Kutch and Devbhumi Dwarka districts and therefore, the landfall process has commenced. It will continue until midnight,” IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said in New Delhi.
समस्त सरकारी तंत्र अपने कर्तव्य का पालन करते हुए #CycloneBiparjoy के सामने अडिग खड़ा होकर राहत एवं बचाव कार्य में जी जान से जुटा हुआ है।@narendramodi @AmitShah @CMOGuj @sanghaviharsh https://t.co/Az4hjLjFvr
— Gujarat Information (@InfoGujarat) June 15, 2023
Landfall indicates a cyclonic storm moving over land after being over water.
The eye of the cyclone is around 50 km in diametre. Biparjoy is marching ahead with a speed of 13-14 kmph. Thus, it will take around five hours for the wall cloud and the eye to completely cross into the land, Mohapatra said.
#Gujaratcyclone | પવનની તેજ રફ્તાર વચ્ચે પણ તંત્રની બચાવ રાહત કામગીરી પુરજોશમાં
પોરબંદરમાં વાવાઝોડામાં ધરાશાયી થયેલા નરસંગ ટેકરી પાસે ખાસ જેલ નજીકના મોટા વૃક્ષને ફાયર સેફ્ટીની ટીમ દ્વારા ગણતરીની મિનિટમાં હટાવવામાં આવ્યું હતું અને રસ્તો ખુલ્લો કરવામાં આવ્યો હતો.#CycloneBiparjoy pic.twitter.com/FmsVfOcPH6
— Gujarat Information (@InfoGujarat) June 15, 2023
Destructive wind force uprooted many trees and electric polls near Jakhau and Mandvi towns of Kutch as tin sheets and plastic shades were blown away.
Until 7 pm, there was no report of any loss of life, said Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi said.
“Three persons sustained injuries in Devbhoomi Dwarka district after a tree fall and they are being treated. Teams of the Gujarat police, the NDRF and the Army are working at ground level in different parts of Dwarka to remove uprooted trees and electric poles,” Sanghavi said.
મોરબી લોહાણા બોર્ડિંગ પાસે રહેતા હેમલતાબેન કેશવજીભાઇ કોટેચા ઉંમર-૯૦ નાઓનું રહેણાંક મકાન જર્જરીત હાલતમા હોય પોતે ઘરમાં એકલા જ રેહતા હોય સમજાવીને પોલીસની મદદથી તેનાં ઘરનીં બાજુમાં આવેલ હોસ્પિટલમાં શિફ્ટ કરવામાં આવેલ @sanghaviharsh @Harsh_Office @dgpgujarat pic.twitter.com/IsRzlDEaX2
— SP MORBI (@SPMorbi) June 15, 2023
The `very severe’ cyclonic storm Biparjoy is centered over north Arabian Sea but it is coming closer to the Saurashtra coast with a wind speed of 115-125 kmph, gusting to 140 kmph, the IMD said in a statement in Ahmedabad.
Authorities have evacuated around one lakh people living in vulnerable areas in coastal districts of Gujarat following a prompt warning from the IMD about the “extensive damaging potential” of the cyclone, the second powerful storm to hit the state in three years after ‘Tauktae’ in May 2021.
Officials said 15 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, 12 of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and personnel of the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Indian Coast Guard and Border Security Force have been deployed for relief and rescue operations.
The Met office had earlier warned of very heavy (11.5 cm to 20.4 cm) to extremely heavy rainfall (over 20.5 cm) in Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Rajkot, Morbi and Junagarh districts.
The cyclone will bring extremely heavy rainfall in Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka and Jamnagar, with wind speeds remaining high even on Friday despite reduction in intensity, IMD Ahmedabad director Manorama Mohanty said.
Officials said the cyclone will cause total destruction of thatched houses and extensive damage to ‘kachcha’ houses, and some damage to pucca homes.
It will also cause uprooting of power and communication poles, damage and flood approach roads, with district authorities making extensive preparations to ensure there is no disruption in power and water supplies, they added.
27 relief columns deployed by army ahead of cyclone landfall
“Indian army has deployed more than 27 relief columns across Gujarat in Bhuj, Jamnagar, Gandhidham, Dhrangadhra as well as forward locations at Naliya, Dwarka and Mandvi. Army personnel have jointly started relief operations with civil administration as well as NDRF teams,” Wing Commander N Manish, Defence PRO & spokesperson, MoD of Gujarat, said.
” The Air Force has kept one helicopter each on standby at Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Delhi. The Navy has positioned 10-15 teams, each consisting of five diverse and good swimmers, at Okha, Porbandar and Bakasura for rescue and relief,” an official said.
The Indian Air Force assets are in operational readiness for relief and rescue work that would follow the landfall of cyclone ‘Biparjoy’, the IAF said.
“#IAF assets in Op readiness for relief and rescue operations that would follow the landfall of #Cyclonebiparjoy. IAF is committed to assist fellow citizens to tackle contingencies that arise due to the cyclone,” the IAF tweeted.
25 teams in naval stations of Gujarat geared up for cyclone ahead of landfall
On cyclone Biparjoy related preparedness, Rear Admiral Kunal Rajkumar, Chief Staff Officer, OPS, Western Naval command said Thursday “…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…”
Indian Coast Guard in Gujarat geared up for cyclone Biparjoy
Indian Coast Guard on preparedness off Gujarat coast for cyclone Biparjoy, said Thursday that as many as 15 Ships were ready in multiple configurations. “7 aircraft in SAR role for rescue ops in the sea. 23 disaster relief teams with 29 gemini boats, 50 OBMs (Out Board Motor) for boats 1000 lifejackets and 200 lifebuoys, formed up in the ICG stations for aid to civil authorities,” they said.
“The IMD has predicted that Cyclone Biparjoy will turn into a depression by noon tomorrow (June 16), and its speed will decrease to less than 40 kmph. There is a possibility of minimal damage,” says NDRF IG Narendra Singh Bundela..
The information and broadcasting ministry has asked media organisations, including television channels, to take “abundant precaution” while deploying their personnel to cover cyclone Biparjoy to ensure their safety.
In an advisory in New Delhi, the ministry said media personnel, especially of satellite television channels, will be engaged in the ground reporting of the cyclone and other related incidents.
“Given the possible impact of the cyclone, reporting from the ground level may pose serious risks of safety and security of the reporters and the cameramen and other personnel deployed by the private satellite TV channels for reporting this incident,” it said.
About 100 trains cancelled, 39 short-terminated due to cyclone
As many as 99 trains were cancelled on Thursday evening in view of the cyclonic storm ‘Biparjoy’. The Railways also said that 39 trains were short terminated.
Cyclone Biparjoy to make landfall between 9-10 pm in Jakhau, Gujarat CM leads from SEOC
