Cyclone Biparjoy updates: Several trains cancelled, NDRF teams moved to affected areas in Gujarat

Cyclone Biparjoy latest: The Western Railways has cancelled several trains in view of the very severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy. Trains cancelled by the Western Railways include 09480 OKHA-RJT, 09479 RJT-OKHA, 22969 OKHA-BSBS, 09524 DEE-OKHA, 09523 OKHA-DEE, and 09521 RJT-VRL. The Western Railways has also short-terminated some trains due to the cyclone. The North Western Railways (NWR) has also cancelled five trains operating on the NWR as the cyclone is likely to enter southwest Rajasthan on June 16.

The North Western Railways (NWR) said it had also partially cancelled the services of nine other trains due to the cyclone. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel over phone and took stock of the cyclone preparedness. The Prime Minister also assured the Gujarat CM of every possible support from the Centre.

Cyclone Biparjoy news: Here are the top developments so far

1. 5 National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) teams are on alert in Gujarat. Two NDRF teams have been moved from Vadodara to Rajkot, two have been moved from Gandhinagar to Gandhidham and Bhuj in Kutch and one team has been moved from Gandhinagar to Devbhoomi Dwarka.

2. Shivaji Sutar, Director of Information and Publication, Railway Board, Delhi, said that the disaster management room has been activated and field staff have been put on alert mode.

3. Sutar further said emergency control rooms have been opened in Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Ahmedabad, and Gandhidham and additional helpline numbers have also been activated.

4. Rough sea conditions were witnessed in Gujarat’s Dwarka and high tidal waves were also witnessed in Mumbai due to the impact of Cyclone Biparjoy. Kerala’s capital city Thiruvananthapuram also received overnight rain showers due to the cyclone.

5. All beach activities have come to a grinding halt in Goa and lifeguards have installed red flags at vulnerable spots, as per an official.

6. Very severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy lay centred at 02:30 IST over the Northeast and adjoining east central Arabian Sea about 290 km southwest of Porbandar and 360 km south-southwest of Jakhau Port. The cyclonic storm will cross Saurashtra and Kutch near Jakhau Port by evening of 15th June, as per the Indian Meteorological Department.

7. Cyclone Biparjoy is likely to enter southwest Rajasthan on June 16, as per officials.

8. Pakistani authorities have also started evacuation efforts from the low-lying coastal areas in the southern Sindh province as the cyclone is likely to hit the coastline this week.

9. Pakistan Meteorological Department said the cyclone came roughly 600 kms within the range of Karachi on Monday, news agency PTI reported.

10. Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah conducted an aerial inspection of the coastline and asked authorities to evacuate around 80,000 people to safety.

11. "We are expecting high-intensity winds, heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and high tides to damage vulnerable structures, so we have started taking precautions and are evacuating people at least 10 kilometres away from coastal areas,” said National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) official Jahanzaib Khan.

(With agency inputs)

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