Biparjoy threat: 30,000 people shifted so far as IMD says cyclone has 'extensive damaging potential'

Gujarat braces for the approaching Cyclone Biparjoy which is expected to make its landfall on Thursday evening with gusts of wind speeds upto 150 kilometers per hour. Here is what you need to know today.

Hyderabad/Gandhi Nagar:With cyclone 'Biparjoy' barrelling towards Kutch district in Gujarat, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials on Tuesday said the cyclone has "extensive damaging potential" bringing with it extremely heavy rainfall in several areas in Gujarat.

Given the intensity of the cyclone, the Indian Coast Guard ran multiple sorties to evacuate as many as 50 personnel from oil rig 'Key Singapore' located 40 km off the Dwarka coast in Gujarat in an overnight operation, the ICG said on Tuesday.

India Coast Guard Region North West command operated amid inclement weather conditions due to the impending cyclone Biparjoy in the region and evacuated the personnel onboard 'Key Singapore' 40 km seaward from Dwarka in seven sorties of overnight operations in Advanced Landing Helicopter (ALH) aircraft and ship Shoor, the maritime agency said in a release.

Biparjoy has extensive damaging potential, says IMD:In a press conference, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials on Tuesday said that cyclone Biparjoy has "extensive damaging potential" and is likely to impact Gujarat's Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka and Jamnagar districts the most. The cyclone is predicted to cross Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat and the adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi in Gujarat and Karachi in Pakistan near the Jakhau Port (Gujarat) around the evening of June 15 as a very severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 125-150 kmph.

"Its damaging potential could be extensive," IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said at a press conference. The cyclone could lead to extremely heavy rainfall (over 20 cm) at isolated places in Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar and Porbandar districts from June 13 to June 15.

"We won't be surprised if these areas record more than 25 cm of rainfall. Usually, they do not receive such intense precipitation at this time of the year. Therefore, there is a risk of flooding in the low-lying areas," he cautioned. Rajkot, Morbi and Junagarh may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall. Winds gusting up to 145 kmph are predicted to batter all these districts on June 15. Gusty winds and rain may cause extensive damage to standing crops, houses, roads, electricity and communication poles, and flooding of escape routes.

"Up to six-metre-high tidal waves are likely to inundate low-lying areas of Saurashtra and Kutch coasts. We have recommended evacuation of the population in such areas and action is being taken," Mohapatra said. Sea conditions are phenomenal (waves could be 10 to 14 metres high) in the northeast and the adjoining east-central Arabian Sea. The IMD has recommended total suspension of all activities, including oil exploration, ship movement and fishing, until June 15.

Gujarat braces for cyclone:The Gujarat administration has so far shifted around 30,000 people from different coastal districts to temporary shelters, an official said on Tuesday. The government is aiming to evacuate people within 10 km of the coast.

"We have already started evacuating people residing near the coast who are likely to be affected the most during the landfall. So far, various district administrations have shifted nearly 30,000 people to temporary shelters. The evacuation process is still on and all the targeted population will be shifted by today evening to safer places," said State Commissioner of Relief, Alok Kumar Pandey.

Among the 30,000 people, nearly 6,500 were evacuated in Kutch district alone, followed by 5,000 in Devbhumi Dwarka, 4,000 in Rajkot, 2,000 in Morbi, more than 1,500 in Jamnagar, 550 in Porbandar and 500 in Junagadh district, he told reporters in Gandhinagar. He said one person has died in an incident linked to the cyclone. On Monday, one Varsha Bavaliya was killed and her husband was injured after a tree fell on their motorcycle on a state highway in Jasdan taluka of Rajkot district due to strong winds, he added.

Biparjoy to become cyclone with longest lifespan in Arabian Sea:Biparjoy, the first cyclone in the Arabian Sea this year, underwent rapid intensification on June 6 and 7, escalating from a cyclonic circulation to a very severe cyclonic storm in just 48 hours, defying earlier predictions. It has also sustained its strength for a longer-than-normal duration, which meteorologists attribute to an unusually warm Arabian Sea.

The IMD data shows Biparjoy is on course to become the cyclone with the longest lifespan in the Arabian Sea. The life period of Cyclone Biparjoy, which developed over the southeast Arabian Sea at 5:30 am on June 6, is about eight days and nine hours so far. The extremely severe Cyclone Kyarr of 2019 over the Arabian Sea had a life of nine days and 15 hours. It developed over the east-central Arabian Sea, had multiple recurvatures and weakened over the southwest Arabian Sea.

Action plan to tackle medical and health emergencies:Shelter homes are being set up with arrangements for rations and meals while an action plan is being put in place to tackle medical and health emergencies, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday. He said all labourers working at ports in coastal areas have been evacuated, ships have been anchored, and crew members shifted to safer places.

Mandaviya, who is at Bhuj in coastal Kutch district, and four other Union ministers from Gujarat reached various districts that are likely to be impacted by the cyclone to help and coordinate with the state administration in rescue and evacuation measures. He said better coordination among different state and Central agencies is vital to deal with the cyclone, which is likely to make landfall near Jakhau port in Kutch district on Thursday evening packing devastating potential and very strong winds.

"The administration has set up shelter homes with rations, meals, and facilities for pregnant women and children. An action plan was put in place yesterday (Monday) for medical and health emergencies," Mandaviya told reporters.

Trains cancelled:As powerful cyclone Biparjoy' moves closer to the Gujarat coast, the Western Railway has short-terminated more than 50 trains heading to coastal areas of the state and is considering cancellation of several trains over the next three days, a release said. The WR is taking various measures including setting up disaster management rooms, help desks, and keeping relief trains ready, the release said on Monday.

The wind speed is being monitored at five locations in Bhavnagar division, at eight sites in Rajkot and at three spots in Ahmedabad division on an hourly basis and station masters have been instructed to regulate or stop trains when the wind velocity exceeds 50 kmph, as per the release.

As many as 56 trains heading to Gandhidham, Veraval, Okha, Porbandar in coastal Gujarat have been short-terminated at Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Surendranagar. Around 95 trains are being proposed for cancellation between June 13 to June 15, the release said. Sumit Thakur, chief public relations officer (CPRO), WR, said passenger trains scheduled from June 12 onwards in the vulnerable sections are being reviewed and necessary decisions will be taken.

Authorities face reluctance of villagers:Hundreds of people are being evacuated from coastal villages in Kutch district but authorities are facing a challenge as many villagers are reluctant to leave their livestock and belongings behind.

In Ashirwada village, located 5 km away from the coast in Kutch district, people agreed to move out only after police and revenue officers held meetings to convince them. Government Labour Officer C T Bhatt said the administration wants to avoid casualties in the cyclone.

"The administration is working to evacuate residents of a 10 km area of the sea," he told PTI on Tuesday. "We are shifting people to shelters which can withstand the impact of the cyclone. We are taking care of them by providing them food and other basic things," he said. Village head Adam Ibrahim said they have agreed to move to shelters but nearly half of the residents will stay back in the village with a population of 400.

"We rear cattle for survival. We cannot leave them behind. Those who have kaccha houses will leave. Women and children will be sent to shelters," he said. Another villager, Kasam Baksh, said they were aware that the administration is helping them. "We were shifted here from Jakhau Port. Our belongings worth lakhs are lying in our shanties. What will happen to them in the cyclone? Will the government give compensation for the damages?" asked Havabai, an evacuee.

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