As cyclone Biparjoy intensifies and heads towards the Gujarat coast, authorities have undertaken a massive evacuation operation, relocating 50,000 individuals from vulnerable areas. Disaster management personnel have been deployed to handle relief and rescue measures in the State, which is expected to bear the brunt of the second cyclone to hit Gujarat in just two years, officials reported on Wednesday.
With the cyclone projected to make landfall near Jakhau port in Kutch district on Thursday evening, parts of the Saurashtra-Kutch region have already experienced heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel convened a meeting with senior officers to assess the situation. At the national level, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh separately reviewed the preparedness to tackle the cyclone’s impact.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cyclone Biparjoy is expected to change its path on Wednesday and move northeastwards towards Kutch and Saurashtra. However, it is still anticipated to make landfall as a very severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds ranging from 125-135 kmph, gusting up to 145 kmph from morning to evening on Thursday.
The Gujarat Government has launched a massive evacuation operation, focusing on shifting people residing within a 10 km radius of the coast to temporary shelters, with special attention given to Kutch, which is expected to be the worst affected. The evacuation process is currently underway and is scheduled to be completed by Wednesday evening.
State Commissioner of Relief Alok Kumar Pandey stated, “The cyclone is presently around 290 km away from Kutch. As a precautionary measure, we have already relocated nearly 50,000 individuals from coastal areas to temporary shelters. The evacuation process is ongoing, and the remaining 5,000 people will be shifted to safer locations by this evening.”
Of the evacuated population, approximately 18,000 individuals have been relocated to shelters in Kutch district, while others have been evacuated from Junagadh, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Devbhumi Dwarka, Morbi, and Rajkot, as per Pandey’s statement.
To tackle the situation effectively, authorities have deployed 18 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 12 teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and teams from the State road and building department and the State electricity department across different coastal districts. The officials from the electricity and road & building departments have also reached designated locations to restore connectivity and power supply. Additionally, teams equipped with HAM Radio sets and satellite phones have been deployed in the coastal region to facilitate better communication.
Chief Minister Patel conducted a meeting with the State chief secretary and senior officers at the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) to review preparedness. Rajnath , after reviewing the preparations of the armed forces, affirmed their readiness to provide assistance to civil authorities in handling any situation arising from the cyclone. Mandaviya inspected the preparedness measures in Kutch and visited the Bhuj Air Force station to assess the arrangements made by the “Garuda” Emergency Response Team of the Indian Air Force. He assured the public that the armed forces are fully prepared to ensure the safety of lives and properties during the cyclone.
In Delhi, talking to reporters Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said cyclone Biparjoy is expected to alter its trajectory on Wednesday, moving northeastwards towards the regions of Kutch and Saurashtra. The cyclone is predicted to make landfall on Thursday evening near Jakhau port.
Mohapatra noted a significant change in the cyclone’s movement, stating, “For the past six hours, it has become very slow, practically stationary. This is an indication that the direction of the movement of the cyclone will change now. We are expecting that it will move towards the northeast and it will hit Saurashtra, Kutch, and adjoining Pakistan between Mandvi and Karachi, near Jakhau Port.”
While the intensity of cyclone Biparjoy has slightly weakened, it is still anticipated to make landfall as a very severe cyclonic storm. The wind speed is projected to range from 125-135 kmph, gusting up to 145 kmph from morning to evening on Thursday.
To ensure effective relief and rescue operations, the NDRF has designated a total of 33 teams for Gujarat and Maharashtra, as announced by officials in New Delhi. In Gujarat, 18 NDRF teams have been deployed, with an additional team stationed in the neighboring Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, five out of the total 14 NDRF teams have been positioned in Mumbai, while the remaining teams remain on standby.
Each of these teams consists of 35 to 40 personnel and is equipped with essential tools such as tree and pole cutters, electric saws, inflatable boats, as well as basic medicines and relief items.
Shelter homes have been established in Government schools and offices across coastal districts, providing accommodation along with arrangements for food, drink, and medicine. Officials have ensured the availability of adequate medical staff and necessary supplies, including medicines, in nearby health centers, government hospitals, and private hospitals.
The Saurashtra-Kutch region has already experienced heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds. The IMD has predicted that the intensity of rainfall will escalate as the cyclone approaches the Gujarat coast. Isolated places in the districts of Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, and Jamnagar are likely to witness extremely heavy rainfall during this period. Additionally, several areas in Porbandar, Rajkot, Morbi, Junagadh, and other districts of Saurashtra and the north Gujarat region are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on Thursday.
Ahmedabad IMD Director Manorama Mohanty stated, “As the cyclone crosses the Gujarat coast on Thursday evening, isolated places in Porbandar, Morbi, Rajkot, Jamnagar, and Kutch will experience heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated instances of extremely heavy rainfall. Devbhumi Dwarka may witness heavy to very heavy rainfall, including isolated extremely heavy rainfall on Wednesday.”
