Under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the disaster management ministers of the states and Union Territories, which are expected to experience effects from the cyclone, met to evaluate readiness for cyclone "Biparjoy." This occurs as the storms approach the coast of Gujarat. Later, he will preside over another meeting to examine the state of preparation for dealing with Cyclone Biparjoy, this time with Gujarat's Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and MPs from eight likely affected areas.
Cyclone to hit Gujarat soon
Gujarat is preparing for the effects of cyclone Biparjoy after experiencing choppy seas and heavy winds in Dwarka. Very severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy lay centred at 02:30 IST over the Northeast and adjoining east central Arabian Sea about 290 km southwest of Porbandar & 360 km south-southwest of Jakhau Port is set to cross Saurashtra & Kutch near Jakhau Port by the evening of June 15.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued an Orange alert for Saurashtra and Kutch coasts in Gujarat as the cyclonic storm Biparjoy is set to cross the Jakhau Port in Gujarat by the evening of June 15 as Very Severe Cyclonic Storm. Under its impact, light showers were witnessed in the Naliya town of Kachchh district in Gujarat. In Navsari, Gujarat, police have been stationed close to the coast to deter people from swimming in the water. Earlier this morning, ALH Dhruv helicopters evacuated over 50 Indian Coast Guard personnel from the Dwarka coast near Okha in Gujarat.
Personnel evacuated, trains cancelled
ICG authorities were quoted by ANI as saying that "50 personnel have been evacuated today morning from jack-up rig "Key Singapore" operating off Dwarka coast near Okha, Gujarat." In the meantime, several train services have been cancelled by the North Western Railway (NWR) since Cyclone Biparjoy is expected to make landfall in southwest Rajasthan on June 16, according to officials on Monday.
"Keeping in view the safety and security in view of the cyclonic storm Biprajoy in the Bay of Bengal, train services are being cancelled/partially cancelled by the Railways," the NWR stated in a statement, as reported by PTI. The Jaipur Meteorological Center's Radheshyam Sharma predicted that on June 16, the cyclonic storm Biparjoy is likely to weaken and enter south-western Rajasthan as a depression.
