Heavy rain, storm surges and high winds have been forecast across the west coast of the country due to the Cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ and much damage is expected over Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Morbi, Junagarh and Rajkot districts of Gujarat on June 15, warned a joint-bulletin forecast by the by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) & INCOIS – Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services on June 12.
There is likely to be total destruction of thatched houses and extensive damage to other houses, bending/ uprooting of power and communication poles, damage to roads, disruption of railways, overhead power lines and signalling systems, widespread damage to standing crops, plantations and so on.
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A high wave alert has been issued for Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka Kerala and Lakshadweep as the cyclone has moved northwards with a speed of 07 kmph during past six-hours and lay centered at 08.30 hours IST about 320 km southwest of Porbandar.
It is very likely to move nearly northward till June 14 morning, then move north-northeastwards and cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by noon of June 15 as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph, said the bulletin issued at noon.
High waves between 3.5 to 7.2 metres has been forecast beyond the 10 km coast line of Gujarat and off -shore it could reach upto 9.2 metres. These waves could reach upto 4.3 metres across Maharastra, Goa and Karnataka while it could be upto 3.5 metres high off the Kerala and Lakshawadeep coasts.
The bulletin called for evacuation from coastal areas of Saurashtra and Kutch (Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh and Morbi districts of Gujarat). Fishermen community have been warned against venturing into the sea.
Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over these regions on June 14, the intensity of rainfall would increase with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy falls over Porbandar, Rajkot, Morbi and Junagarh on June 15.
Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph on June 12 and becoming 50- 60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph from June 13 to evening to June 14. Gale wind speed reaching 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph very likely to prevail from June 14 evening and becoming 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph from June 15 early morning for subsequent 12 hours. It would decrease gradually becoming 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph over north Gujarat and adjoining south Rajasthan from June 16 morning to evening, it added.
