With cyclonic storm Biparjoy inching nearer the Gujarat coast for likely landfall in less than 24 hours, State authorities intensified their efforts, shifting more than 70,000 people to safety on Wednesday and dispatching food packets to shelters.
In its latest update, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that Biparjoy was set to change its path on Wednesday and begin moving north-eastwards towards Kutch and Saurashtra, but would still make landfall as a very severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds ranging from 125 to 135 kmph, gusting to 145 kmph from morning till evening on Thursday.
Changing direction
“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 the adjoining Pakistan [coast] between Mandvi and Karachi, near Jakhau Port,” IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said in Delhi.
The IMD has issued a red alert for the six coastal districts which are likely to bear the brunt of the storm after it reaches land. It predicts extremely heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds in coastal parts of the Saurashtra-Kutch region, especially in the districts of Kutch, Porbandar and Devbhumi Dwarka.
Heavy rains lashed the coastal areas on Wednesday as a prelude to the impending cyclonic storm; there have already been three casualties related to the cyclone in Saurashtra.
Preparing for relief
State authorities have deployed 18 teams of National Disaster Relief Forces (NDRF) and 12 teams of State Disaster Relief Forces (SDRF) in the coastal districts. Each team includes 35 to 40 people equipped with tree and pole cutters, electric saws, inflatable boats, basic medicines and relief items. The Border Security Force, Army and Navy are also involved in the efforts to mitigate the damages the cyclone is likely to cause in its aftermath.
Union and State Ministers are stationed in the coastal districts to oversee the efforts to evacuate people from coastal villages and ensure medical, food and other support in shelters.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel took stock of the situation with senior officers, while at the central level, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh separately reviewed the preparedness to deal with the storm’s impact. After speaking to the three service chiefs and reviewing the preparations of the armed forces, Mr. Singh said that they were ready to provide every possible assistance to civil authorities in tackling any situation or contingency that may arise due to the cyclone.
Evacuees moved to shelters
“The cyclone is nearly 290 km away from Kutch at present. As a precautionary measure, we have already shifted nearly 70,000 people living in coastal areas to temporary shelters,” said State Commissioner of Relief Alok Kumar Pandey.
Apart from the NDRF and SDRF teams, 115 teams of the State’s road and building department, and 397 teams of the electricity department have been deployed in different coastal districts, he said.
“Officials of departments of Electricity and Road and Building have also reached designated spots to restore connectivity and power supply. We have also deployed teams carrying HAM Radio sets and satellite phones in the coastal region for better communication,” he added, briefing journalists in Gandhinagar.
