Cyclone Biparjoy nears, landfall predicted tomorrow between 4-8 pm | Highlights

Indian Coast Guard Actions and Preparedness

Weather and Cyclone Advisories given to stakeholders - 6 June onwards

Weather warnings Broadcast by ICG ships, aircraft and Radar stations to warn all mariners

Ensured return of all fishing boats, which are most vulnerable, in association with Fisheries Dept

Special Community Interaction programs conducted to further ensure safety of men and property in coastal areas

All Oil Handling Agencies were also sensitised to prepare for contigencies

ICG Marine Pollution Response Team is geared up for meeting likely situations

ICG Assets Preparedness

15 Ships ready in multiple configuration

7 aircraft in SAR role for rescue at sea

Ty Helo operations facilities activated specially at Okha, Jakhau and Vadinar for quick response in Kutch District where cyclone landfall is likely

All 8 ICG stations along coast in highest state of readiness

Senior DIG rank officer stationed in Kutch District at Mundra to oversee field units first-hand

23 Disaster Relief Teams formed up in the ICG stations for Aid to Civil Authorities with following gears:-

29 Gemini Boats

50 OBMs for boats

About 1000 lifejackets and 200 lifebuoys

ICG ops centers in Stations being manned with extra operators for coordination

"Over 47,000 people have been evacuated from coastal and low-lying areas to shelter," said C.C. Patel, an official in charge of relief operations in Gujarat, AFP reported.

Nearly 66,000 people living in coastal towns and small islands in Pakistan have been evacuated to safer places before Cyclone Biparjoy is expected to hit the coastline in Sindh province on Thursday, PTI reported.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s scheduled Odisha visit on June 17 has been put on hold in view of Cyclone Biparjoy’s possible landfall in Gujarat on Thursday, a senior BJP leader said, PTI reported.

As powerful cyclone 'Biparjoy' approaches the Gujarat coast, authorities have evacuated 50,000 people from vulnerable areas in a massive operation and deployed disaster management personnel for relief and rescue measures in the state set to be most impacted by the second storm to hit it in just two years, officials said on Wednesday, PTI reported.

"Had Cyclone Biparjoy moved north-westwards towards Oman, it would have affected the monsoonal flow," India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said Cyclone Biparjoy has completely detached itself from the monsoonal flow and will have no impact on the progress of the seasonal rainfall system, PTI reported.

"Had Cyclone Biparjoy moved north-westwards towards Oman, it would have affected the monsoonal flow," he said.

Kutch's Salaya people are the last to shift to safe shelters in the face of the approaching cyclone Biparjoy. Besides appeals by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and district officials, it was the sight of seawater entering the village that persuaded them to vacate their houses a day ahead of the expected landfall of Biparjoy. 

The village of Salaya near Mandvi has a population of 2,500, most of them fisherfolk, PTI reported.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal said, "We must be prepared for all kinds of eventualities as this could be one of the severest storms to have hit the country once it makes landfall. We are taking steps to minimise the loss of lives and property and are committed to ensuring people's safety. Those residing in coastal areas are evacuated to safer shores and measures are being undertaken to raise make-shift shelters for people in harm's way", ANI reported.

Visuals surfaced from Rasulnagar village in Jamnagar where the residents put up ropes across their village to ensure mobility while braving strong winds and heavy rainfall that is expected to follow the cyclone’s arrival. Here's our full report

Daman DC General/Sub DM has issued an order under section 144 of CrPC prohibiting the movement of people on beaches, promenades and other places near coast, ANI reported.

Residents living within 5 kilometres of the coast in Gujarat were evacuated, and those living within 10 kilometres may also have to leave, officials have said, AP reported.

Four IN ships with HADR bricks embarked are on standby at short notice.

Five relief teams each at Porbandar and Okha and 15 relief teams at Valsura are standby for rendering assistance to civil authorities.

Helos at INS Hansa in Goa and INS Shikra in Mumbai are ready for embarkation/ ferry to Gujarat.

P8i and Dornier aircraft ex-Hansa, Goa are on standby for aerial recce and transportation of relief material and personnel.

Additional HADR stores and equipment are kept on standby for embarkation at short notice.

HQWNC and area headquarters are maintaining close liaison with state government/ civil authorities for providing assistance in the event of any contingency.

Delhi, Rajasthan are among the states set to witness rainfall this week under the influence of cyclone ‘Biparjoy’.

The cyclone 'Biparjoy', which weakened into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’, could become one with the longest lifespan in the Arabian Sea, the weather agency said.

"A high-level meeting was held at the State Emergency Operation Center to review the operations and planning by the administration against Cyclone 'Biperjoy'.

Details were obtained including evacuation of citizens to safe places in cyclone-affected districts, planning for quick restoration of power supply, health services and removal of hoardings. In the districts of North Gujarat also given the necessary guidelines for pre-preparations against the possibility of rain," Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel tweeted.

The Gujarat government postponed the Teacher Aptitude Test (TAT(S)) main test from June 18 to June 25, citing Cyclone Biparjoy.

Education minister Kuber Dindor said that this would address the problem of candidates from the cyclone-affected areas of Kutch and Saurashtra, as well as provide them adequate time to prepare.

Cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ is expected to cross between Mandvi in Gujarat and Karachi in Pakistan near the Jakhau Port in Gujarat on June 15 with a wind speed of 124-135 kmph. The cyclone has weakened into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm' but is still predicted to bring heavy rain and storms.

Delhi is set to experience rainfall in the next few days under the influence of cyclone 'Biparjoy', the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its forecast Wednesday. 

Parts of Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and west Uttar Pradesh will also witness rainfall on Thursday and Friday

 See our detailed report here

Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is predicted in parts of Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Rajkot, Morbi and Junagarh districts of Gujarat on Wednesday. The rain, accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds may cause major damage to houses, roads, crops, power and communication poles, prompting the authorities to place appropriate measures in places to mitigate the impact of the cyclone. 

Owing to severe cyclonic conditions on the West Coast, especially in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan, the proposed public meeting of Union home minister Amit Shah in Khammam on June 15 stands postponed: Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay, ANI reported.

The cyclone is set to hit Pakistan at a time when the country is already facing severe economic hardship. The South Asian nation, which has to make about $22 billion of external debt payments in fiscal year 2024, is racing to secure loans from the International Monetary Fund to avoid a default. Its economic growth slowed sharply to 0.29% for the year ending June, one of the lowest rates in its history, Bloomberg reported.

Cyclone Biparjoy follows devastating rains in Pakistan last year that flooded about a third of the nation, killing 1,700 people, displacing 8 million and leaving about $30 billion in losses and damages, Bloomberg reported.