Parts of the Saurashtra-Kutch region in Gujarat received heavy rains accompanied by strong winds on Tuesday as Cyclone Biparjoy is expected to make a landfall on June 15 evening. Over 50,000 people have been shifted to safer locations from the coastal areas.
The India Meteorological Department said the cyclone is very likely to move nearly northeastwards and cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by June 15 evening.
"Cyclone Warning for Saurashtra & Kutch Coasts: RED MESSAGE. VSCS BIPARJOY at 1130 IST today over NE Arabian Sea near lat 21.9N & long 66.3E, about 280km WSW of Jakhau Port (Gujarat) and 290km WSW of Devbhumi Dwarka. To cross near Jakhau Port by evening of 15th June as VSCS. @WMO," tweeted IMD.
Nine talukas in Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Porbandar and Rajkot districts received more than 50 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending on Wednesday morning.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has earmarked a total of 33 teams to undertake relief and rescue operations. While 18 NDRF teams have been placed in Gujarat, one has been stationed in neighbouring Diu in the newly formed Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Fourteen NDRF teams have been deployed in neighbouring Maharashtra.
Each of these teams have about 35-40 personnel and they are equipped with tree and pole cutters, electric saws, inflatable boats and basic medicines and relief items, PTI reported quoting officials.
Indian Army, Navy and Border Security Force (BSF) have also joined rescue and relief operations. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday spoke to the three service chiefs and reviewed the preparations of the armed forces to deal with the impact of the cyclone.
Singh later said the armed forces are ready to provide every possible assistance to civil authorities in tackling any situation or contingency that may arise due to the cyclone.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel held a meeting with the state chief secretary and senior officers at the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) and reviewed preparedness. Shelter homes have been set up in government schools and offices in coastal districts, with arrangements for food, drink and medicine.
According to IMD, the wind speed will gradually increase to 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph on Thursday along and off the districts of Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh and Morbi.
Sea condition is likely to be very rough till the evening of Wednesday along the Saurashtra and Kutch coasts and "high to phenomenal" till the evening of Thursday before becoming normal.
With PTI inputs