Cyclone Biparjoy: IMD issues red alert as major damage expected in coastal areas | Top updates

Major oil and container ports, including Adani Group’s flagship Mundra operation, have suspended operations in view of cyclone Biparjoy.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded a storm surge warning for the coastal areas of Gujarat in view of very severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy, saying it is likely to inundate the low-lying areas of Kachchh, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar and Morbi districts. While Biparjoy lost some of its intensity to become a very severe cyclone, experts warned that it could pick up the pace again and cause colossal devastation in Gujarat by triggering gigantic storm surges.

Cyclone Biparjoy has moved closer to the Indian shores as it prepares for a landfall on June 15.

Major damage expected

The Met department also issued a red alert for Saurashtra and Kutch coasts as cyclone Biparjoy prepares to make landfall between Gujarat's Mandvi and Pakistan's port city of Karachi on June 15. The sea condition along and off Saurashtra and Kutch coasts is likely to be very rough till Wednesday evening and high to phenomenal thereafter till Thursday evening, the IMD said.

The weather monitoring agency also said that total destruction of thatched houses and extensive damage to kutcha houses are expected in Kachchh, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Morbi, Junagarh and Rajkot districts. The very severe cyclonic storm can uproot power and communication poles in these areas and disrupt railways and damage standing crops, plantations and orchards.

Cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ (pronounced as “Biporjoy”) lay centred over the Northeast Arabian Sea about 280 km southwest of Gujarat's Jakhau Port, 290 km west-southwest of Devbhumi Dwarka, 300 km west-southwest of Naliya, 350 km west of Porbandar, and 340 km south-southwest of Karachi, Pakistan. The very severe cyclonic storm is likely to move nearly north-northeastwards and cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi and Karachi near Jakhau Port by June 15 evening with a maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph.

Cyclone Biparjoy Live updates

Rain forecast

The cyclone system is expected to bring light to moderate rainfall today at most places in the coastal areas of Gujarat with heavy to very heavy rainfall and extremely heavy falls at isolated places. The rainfall intensity would increase with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy falls at isolated places very likely over Kachchh, Devbhumi Dwarka and Jamnagar on June 15. Some parts of the Porbandar, Rajkot, Morbi and Junagarh districts are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on June 15 while heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over isolated places in districts of Saurashtra and north Gujarat region.

Dozens of trains cancelled

Around 95 trains running through, originating or terminating in coastal areas of Gujarat will remain cancelled or short-terminated till June 15, according to Western Railway.

Here's the list of trains cancelled, short terminated on June 14

Cancelled trains

22903 Bandra Terminus - Bhuj AC Superfast Express

20907 Dadar - Bhuj Express

22955 Bandra Terminus - Bhuj Kutch Express

09480 Okha - Rajkot Unreserved Special (Daily)

09479 Rajkot - Okha Unreserved Special (Daily)

19251 Veraval - Okha Express

19252 Okha - Veraval Express

09524 Delhi Sarai Rohilla - Okha Special

19209 Bhavnagar Terminus - Okha Express

19210 Okha - Bhavnagar Terminus Express

09522 Veraval - Rajkot Express

09521 Rajkot - Veraval Express

22957 Ahmedabad - Veraval

22958 Veraval - Ahmedabad

19119 Ahmedabad - Veraval Intercity

19120 Veraval - Ahmedabad Intercity

19207 Porbandar -Veraval Express

19208 Veraval - Porbandar Express

09513 Rajkot - Veraval

09514 Veraval - Rajkot

19319 Veraval - Indore Mahamana

19016 Porbandar - Dadar Saurashtra Express

09550 Porbandar - Bhanvad

09549 Bhanvad - Porbandar

09515 Kanalus - Porbandar Special

09551 Bhanvad - Porbandar Express

09516 Porbandar - Kanalus Special

09552 Porbandar - Bhaunra Express

09595 Rajkot - Porbandar Special

09596 Porbandar Rajkot Special

12905 Porbandar - Shalimar Superfast Express

22483 Jodhpur - Gandhidham Express

22484 Gandhidham - Jodhpur Express

19571 Rajkot - Porbandar Express

19572 Porbandar - Rajkot Express

20908 Bhuj - Dadar Express

19405 Palanpur - Gandhidham Express

19406 Gandhidham - Palanpur Express

22956 Bhuj - Bandra Terminus Kutch Express

20927 Palanpur - Bhuj SF Express

20928 Bhuj - Palanpur SF Express

22959 Vadodara - Jamnagar Superfast Intercity

22960 Jamnagar - Vadodara Superfast Intercity

Short-Termination of Trains

22945 Mumbai Central – Okha Saurashtra Mail will be short-terminated at Rajkot

19217 Bandra Terminus - Veraval Express will be short-terminated at Rajkot

11464 Jabalpur - Veraval Express will be short-terminated at Rajkot

19201 Secunderabad - Porbandar Express will be short-terminated at Rajkot

14321 Bareilly - Bhuj Express will be short-terminated at Palanpur

Short-Origination of Trains

22946 Okha- Mumbai Central Saurashtra Mail will short originate from Rajkot

20820 Okha - Puri Express will short originate from Ahmedabad

19218 Veraval - Bandra Terminus Express will short originate from Rajkot

11463 Veraval – Jabalpur Express will short originate from Rajkot\

14312 Bhuj - Bareilly Express will short originate from Ahmedabad

11091 Bhuj - Pune Express will short originate from Ahmedabad

12477 Jamnagar - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Express will short originate from Hapa

19575 Okha - Nathdwara Express will short originate from Hapa

22973 Gandhidham - Puri Superfast Express will short originate from Ahmedabad & remain partially cancelled between Gandhidham and Ahmedabad