Cyclone Biparjoy likely to hit Gujarat coast on June 15, PM holds review meeting

New Delhi: Cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ is expected to make landfall in Kutch district of Gujarat on June 15. According to estimates, it will hit the coast near Jakhau port in Kutch district.

As a precautionary measure, people living near the coast in the coastal districts of Kutch, Porbandar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Junagadh and Morbi are being shifted to safer places. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reviewed the situation and directed the officials to ensure that the safe evacuation of people living in vulnerable places in the path of Cyclone Biparjoy is ensured.

The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) met on Monday and reviewed the preparedness of the Gujarat government and central agencies regarding cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ and assured all possible help to the state.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that he directed senior officials to take all possible measures to ensure that people living in sensitive places are safely evacuated by the state government.

PM Modi also directed to ensure maintenance of all essential services like electricity, telecom, health and drinking water and to restore them immediately in case of any damage. The PMO said that 12 teams of NDRF are deployed with boats, tree cutting equipment and communication equipment and 15 more teams have been kept ready.

The cyclone is likely to move northwards till Wednesday morning and then cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistani coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) near Jakhau port (Gujarat) by Thursday afternoon. Officials said that people living near the coast in the coastal districts of Kutch, Porbandar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Junagadh and Morbi are being evacuated to safer places. Along with this, fishermen have been advised not to go to sea for fishing and warning signs have been put up at ports.

Manorama Mohanty, director of the IMD Ahmedabad centre, said, “The cyclone is expected to make landfall near the Jakhau port. It will reach the coast of Gujarat on June 15 around noon. Before this, winds will blow at a speed of 135-145 kmph to 150 kmph and there will be very heavy rain.