The coastal regions of Gujarat are preparing for severe to extremely heavy rains and gale winds that will progressively reach 120-130 kmph with gusts up to 145 kmph on Thursday as cyclone “Biparjoy” is expected to make landfall close to Jakhau Port in the Kutch district. The extremely dangerous tropical storm Biparjoy has prompted the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a red alert for the beaches of Saurashtra and Kutch, where it is anticipated to interrupt rail service and damage roads, standing crops, and homes. Along with possible damage to poles, power and communication lines might also be disrupted.
Cyclone Biparjoy is “very likely to move northeastwards and cross Saurashtra & Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by evening of 15th June as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 120-130 kmph gusting to 145 kmph,” IMD said in a 2.15am bulletin.
Up until the night of June 15, the sea state along and off the shores of Saurashtra and Kutch is anticipated to be high to spectacular, then improve. In Kachchh, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, and Morbi districts, the Met department issued a storm surge warning. It also noted that the astronomical tide was expected to flood these districts’ low-lying areas at the time of landfall. Astronomical tides along these districts could reach heights of up to 3-6 metres at various locations.
On June 15, the majority of Kachchh, Devbhumi Dwarka, and Jamnagar are anticipated to have light to moderate rainfall, with isolated locations possibly experiencing heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. The districts of Porbandar, Rajkot, Morbi and Junagarh will receive heavy to very heavy rainfall in a few places while Saurashtra and north Gujarat region will receive heavy to very heavy rainfall.
As a preventative action in light of cyclone “Biparjoy,” the Western Railway (WR) decided to cancel or short-terminate the operation of a few additional trains on Wednesday. It short-originated four additional trains, terminated three, and cancelled seven further trains. According to the press statement, 31 short-originated trains and 36 short-terminated trains have been cancelled so far.
Alok Pandey, the relief commissioner for Gujarat, reported that by Wednesday morning, more than 74,000 people had been relocated to safer areas in the coastal areas. Nearly 34,300 of the 74,345 individuals who were relocated to temporary shelters in eight coastal districts did so from the Kutch district alone, followed by 10,000 in Jamnagar, 9,243 in Morbi, 6,089 in Rajkot, 5,035 in Devbhumi Dwarka, 4,604 in Junagadh, 3,469 in Porbandar district, and 1,605 in Gir Somnath.
