New Delhi: Four persons were feared drowned and two were rescued after a group of people ventured into the rough seas at Juhu here on Monday ignoring the warning by civic authorities against venturing into the sea because of the rough sea witnessed ahead of the landfall of Cyclone 'Biparjoy' off Gujarat coast on June 15.
The incident occurred at Juhu Koliwada in the western suburbs, where six people had ventured into the sea around 5.30 pm, an official said. People in the vicinity rescued two of them, while four others are still missing and a search operation is underway for them, the official said. The fire brigade, police, BMC ward staff and ambulances have been mobilised to the scene, he said.
The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba Monday reviewed the preparedness for impending Cyclone Biparjoy, which will hit Gujarat coastal areas on June 14.
The Committee said that Cyclone Biparjoy will move between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi by June 15 as a 'very severe cyclonic storm' with a maximum wind speed of 125-150 kmph. "Cyclone Biparjoy to move northward till June 14, then cross Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat," the NCMC said.
Director General IMD briefed the Committee about the current status of the cyclonic storm over the east-central Arabian Sea. Gujarat Chief Secretary apprised the Committee of the preparatory measures being taken to protect the population in the expected path of the cyclonic storm and measures being taken by the local administration.
Fishermen, he said, have been advised not to venture out into the sea and those at sea have been called back. A total of 21,000 boats have been parked so far. A list of all vulnerable villages has been prepared for evacuation purposes. Details of Saltpan workers have also been prepared for shifting them to safe places. Adequate shelters, power supply, medicine and emergency services are being kept in readiness. Ten teams of SDRF are being deployed.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has already deployed 12 teams and 3 additional teams are kept in readiness in Gujarat. In addition, 15 teams -- 5 each at Arrakonam (Tamil Nadu), Mundli (Odisha) and Bathinda (Punjab) -- are kept on standby for airlifting on short notice. Rescue and relief teams of the Coast Guard, Army and Navy along with ships and aircraft have been on standby.
Authorities have moved 7,500 people to safer places and put in place an elaborate evacuation plan in Gujarat. Cyclone Biparjoy' is expected to make landfall in the Kutch district of Gujarat on June 15. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed two additional teams in Mumbai as a precautionary measure, an official said on Monday. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting here to review the preparedness of the Centre as well as the Gujarat government to deal with the situation arising out of the impending cyclone, which is also expected to impact Pakistan.
"Our teams are ensuring safe evacuations from vulnerable areas and ensuring maintenance of essential services. Praying for everyone's safety and well-being," Modi tweeted after the meeting. According to a statement by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Modi has directed senior officers to take every possible measure to ensure that people living in vulnerable locations are safely evacuated by the state government.
Also read: Cyclone Biparjoy intensifies further, likely to pummel these states
He also directed to ensure maintenance of all essential services such as power, telecommunications, health and drinking water, and restore them immediately in the event of any damage caused to them. The prime minister further said the safety of animals should be ensured and ordered the setting up of 24x7 control rooms.
Meanwhile, Senior IMD Scientist Dr Anand Kumar Das Monday said that Cyclone Biparjoy was currently lying over the central Arabian Sea and adjoining northeast Arabian sea, and will continue to be 'extremely severe cyclonic storm' for another 12 hours after which it will change into a severe cyclonic storm.
"It will gradually move northward till June 14 morning. Then it will change its direction and it will direct towards Saurashtra and Kutch coast. On the morning of June 15, it will reach the coastal areas of Saurashtra-Kutch and will cross the coast by noon on June 15. The coastal districts have been warned of the impact," Dr Das said.
An orange alert has been issued for those living in the coastal areas in Gujarat and in the due course, IMD will also issue a red alert, he said. "All those departments, NDRF and state disaster management authorities along with other parties will take action to minimise the damage. Our goal is to ensure there is no loss of life and minimal damage," he said.
"Saurashtra-Kutch region will be severely affected. Coastal areas will bear the brunt as there will be strong winds, extremely heavy rainfall, and a two to three-metre storm surge. Three different hazards together and as such the impact will be more. When the cyclone will make landfall, the area would witness 125 to 150 kmph winds," he added.
Dr Das said that after June 15, the Cyclone will gradually move towards south Rajasthan with a lesser wind impact but with heavy rains.
Also read: Cyclone Biparjoy: Pakistani authorities begin evacuation of low-lying coastal areas in Sindh
