Strong winds and heavy rain battered the coasts of Kutch and Saurashtra as Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall near Jakhau Port in Gujarat on Thursday evening after churning across the Arabian Sea for over 10 days. Power failure was reported in many areas, and low-lying areas near the sea were flooded.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) the landfall process completed by midnight.
A cattle-rearer duo of father and son died while trying to save their goats stuck in a flooded ravine in Bhavnagar district on Thursday. Three individuals were injured in Devbhoomi Dwarka district when a tree fell on them, according to a State Minister. In anticipation of Biparjoy’s landfall, approximately 1,00,000 people residing in coastal districts were relocated to safer locations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel over the phone on Thursday night and enquired about the situation in the State.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra explained that the landfall process had commenced as dense convective clouds entered Kutch and Devbhumi Dwarka districts, with the process continuing until midnight.
Landfall refers to a cyclonic storm moving over land after being over water. Biparjoy, with an eye approximately 50 kilometres in diameter, is moving at a speed of 13-14 kilometres per hour, and it is estimated to take around five hours for the wall cloud and eye to completely cross over to land.
The impact of the cyclone was evident as strong winds uprooted numerous trees and electric poles near Jakhau and Mandvi towns in Kutch. Tin sheets and plastic shades were also blown away by the destructive wind force.
However, as of 7 pm, there were no reports of any loss of life, according to Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi.
In Devbhoomi Dwarka district, three individuals were injured due to a fallen tree and are currently receiving treatment. Ground-level teams comprising the Gujarat police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and the Army are working in various parts of Dwarka to clear uprooted trees and electric poles.
The IMD issued a statement in Ahmedabad, stating that the “very severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy” is centered over the north Arabian Sea but is approaching the Saurashtra coast with wind speeds of 115-125 kilometres per hour, gusting up to 140 kilometres per hour.
In response to the cyclone’s potential for extensive damage, authorities evacuated approximately 100,000 people from vulnerable areas in coastal districts of Gujarat following a timely warning from the IMD. This marks the second powerful storm to hit the state in three years, with Cyclone Tauktae striking in May 2021.
To tackle the situation, 15 NDRF teams, 12 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams, and personnel from the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, and Border Security Force have been deployed for relief and rescue operations.
The IMD had previously issued warnings of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in several districts, including Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Rajkot, Morbi, and Junagarh. Additionally, the cyclone was expected to cause an “astronomical tide” with a storm surge of 2-3 meters, which could inundate low-lying areas in Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, and Morbi during the landfall.
Due to the severe sea conditions, characterised by waves reaching heights of 10 to 14 meters, all activities in the northeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea, including oil exploration, ship movement, and fishing, have been suspended.
As a precautionary measure, nearly 100,000 people residing in eight coastal districts of Gujarat have been relocated to temporary shelters. The cyclone is expected to bring extremely heavy rainfall in Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, and Jamnagar, with high wind speeds persisting even on Friday despite a reduction in intensity, as stated by Manorama Mohanty, Director of IMD Ahmedabad.
Officials have warned of the potential for total destruction of thatched houses, extensive damage to “kachcha” houses (made of weak materials), and some damage to permanent structures. Power and communication poles are likely to be uprooted, and approach roads may suffer damage and flooding. District authorities have taken extensive measures to ensure uninterrupted power and water supplies.
Various response teams have been deployed to assist with relief and rescue efforts. The Army has dispatched 27 relief columns to different locations, while the Air Force has placed helicopters on standby in Vadodara, Ahmedabad, and Delhi. The Navy has positioned teams at Okha, Porbandar, and Bakasura for rescue operations.
The Indian Air Force has also confirmed its operational readiness for relief and rescue work following the cyclone’s landfall. The IAF expressed its commitment to assisting fellow citizens in dealing with contingencies arising from Cyclone Biparjoy.
In view of the potential risks associated with reporting on the ground during the cyclone, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued an advisory to media organisations, particularly television channels, urging them to exercise abundant caution to ensure the safety of their personnel.
The Ministry emphasised that ground reporting of the cyclone and related incidents could pose serious risks to reporters, cameramen, and other staff deployed by private satellite TV channels.
