The Gujarat government said that they have so far evacuated 37,794 people living along the coastline. (Photo: Representational/PTI)Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday held a review meeting at the State Emergency Operation Centre in Gujarat's Gandhinagar over preparedness for cyclone 'Biparjoy'. This comes as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) sounded a red alert for Saurashtra and Kutch coasts.
The cyclone is expected to move nearly north-northeastwards and cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by Thursday evening as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 km per hour gusting to 150 km per hour.
The Gujarat government said that they have so far evacuated 37,794 people living along the coastline. The state government is aiming to evacuate people residing within 10 km from the shore, an official told news agency PTI. So far, one fatality related to the cyclone has been recorded, he said.
The met department has predicted extremely heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds in coastal parts of the Saurashtra-Kutch region, especially in the districts of Kutch, Porbandar and Devbhumi Dwarka.
Fishing activities have been suspended till June 16, ports are shut and ships are anchored as the sea turned turbulent and weather became inclement with extremely heavy rainfall and strong winds in the region due to the approaching cyclone.
17 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 12 of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are on standby in the districts of Devbhumi Dwarka, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Porbandar, Gir Somnath, Morbi and Valsad.
In a virtual meeting on Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asked the Gujarat government to make arrangements for moving people living in sensitive places to safer locations and ensure all necessary services like electricity, telecommunication, health and drinking water, said an official statement.
Boats are seen docked in Kutch as fishermen avoid venturing into the sea in wake of Cyclone Biparjoy.
Thousands of people living in coastal towns and small islands in Pakistan have reportedly left their homes for safer places ahead of the approaching Cyclone Biparjoy that is expected to make landfall in the country on Thursday.
Several trains in Gujarat were partially cancelled in the wake of Cyclone Biparjoy. The Western Railways has also announced various safety and security measures being undertaken for train passengers of affected areas.
Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Wednesday met NDRF team in Dwarka to review preparedness for Cyclone Biparjoy.
"Cyclone 'Biparjoy' lies 290 km WSW of Devbhoomi Dwarka and 280 km WSW of Jakhau Port, Gujarat. At the time of landfall of cyclone, wind speed of 125-135kmph gusting to 150kmph expected. Kutch, Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh and Gir-Somnath to witness 65-75 gusting to 85 kmph wind speed today," Dr Mrityunjay Mohapatra, Director General, IMD, said, according to news agency ANI.
According to Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, a total of 5,535 people living near the coastal areas have been shifted to government facilities and provided with requisite health facilities. In Dwarka, more than 20 electric poles got uprooted and some kutcha houses got damaged last night, he said.
