New Delhi, June 13 (Bureau) The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Biparjoy” (pronounced as “Biporjoy”) over Northeast Arabian Sea moved nearly northwestwards with a speed of 8 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered at 1430 hours on Tuesday, over the samere gion near latitude 21.1°North and longitude 66.5°East, about 300 km west-southwest of Devbhumi Dwarka, 330 km west of Porbandar, 320 km southwest of Jakhau Port, 340 km southwest of Naliya and 430 km south of Karachi (Pakistan). IMD said in a bulletin a short while ago that, It is very likely to move nearly northwards till 13th midnight, then move northnortheastwards and cross Saurashtra & Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) around evening of 15th June as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 125- 135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph. Light to moderate rainfall at many places in Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Junagarh and Rajkot districts of Saurashtra & Kutch with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall today.
Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall and extremely heavy falls at isolated places very likely over Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh and Morbi districts of Saurashtra & Kutch tomorrow. The intensity of rainfall would increase with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy falls at isolated places very likely over Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka & Jamnagar and heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places over Porbandar, Rajkot, Morbi & Junagarh districts of Gujarat and Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely over remaining districts of Saurashtra and north Gujarat region on 15th June. Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over north Gujarat and adjoining south Rajasthan on 16th June.
Storm surge of about 2 -3 m above the astronomical tide is likely to inundate the low lying areas of above districts during the time of landfall. The astronomical tides along these districts could be upto 3-6 meters in different places, the bulletin said. IMD Director General Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra at a press conference on Tuesday said The extreme severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy is likely to hit the Saurashtra -Kutch coast and adjoining Pakistan on Thursday evening, with a sustained wind speed of 125 to 135 Kilometer per hour. “Its damaging potential could be extensive,” he said. Mohapatra said that “the gusting speed is likely to reach 145 to 150 Km/h, which will bring heavy to heavy rainfall in the coastal areas of Gujarat”. The DG said that Dwarka, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Kutch districts will experience strong wind speeds up to 125 kmph during the landfall and it has an extensive damaging potential and it is likely to impact Kutch, Devbhoomi Dwarka and Jamnagar districts of Gujarat the most”. HE said that due to strong winds speed there is a possibility of “large-scale damage” in the coastal region of Gujarat. On the day of landfall, Mohapatra said the entire Saurashtra and kutch will experience “heavy rainfall” and “extremely heavy” rainfall up to 25 cm in Dwarka, Jamnagar and Kutch district.
Meanwhile, the Western Railways has cancelled 67 trains passing through the areas predicted to be affected by weather conditions due to Cyclone Biparjoy. “Various safety and security precautions are also being taken by Western Railway for train passengers of these prone areas under the jurisdiction,” the zonal office of Indian Railways said. Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya also reviewed the preparedness measures being taken by the Centre and Gujarat state administration on cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ with Rushikesh Ganeshbhai Patel, Health Minister of Gujarat at Bhuj, Gujarat on Tuesday. In a statement, the Health Ministry said, “Six multi-disciplinary Central Quick Response Medical Teams from Dr. RML Hospital, LHMC, Safdarjung Hospital, AIIMS (New Delhi), AIIMS (Jodhpur) and AIIMS (Nagpur) are kept ready. The Ministry informed, “Besides, teams from NIMHANS, Bengaluru are also on standby to provide psychosocial care and aid to the any affected population”.