Cyclone Biparjoy highlights: IMD issues Cyclone alert for Saurashtra & Kutch Coast

PRO Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla, Gujarat Om Prakash told ANI, “Six ships left the port today and 11 more ships will depart tomorrow. Port officials and ship owners have been asked to remain alert. Those staying in low-lying areas of Kandla are being moved to temporary shelters in Gandhidham.”

India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday evening issued a Cyclone alert for Saurashtra & Kutch Coast. IMD said, “Yellow Message. ESCS BIPARJOY over eastcentral Arabian Sea, at 1730 IST of 11th June near lat 18.6N & long 67.7E, Likely to cross between Mandvi (Gujarat) & Karachi (Pakistan) by noon of 15th June.”

Congress Porbandar MLA Arjun Modhwadia said, “With the aim of zero casualty, all necessary steps are being taken for Agam Cheti. I also appeal to the people to be alert till the danger of #Cyclone is removed and follow the information given by the administration.”

Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil said on Sunday, “Let us pray to God that our Gujarat remains safe from the natural calamities of cyclones. When the impact of the cyclone has started in the coastal areas of Saurashtra and Kutch, the government system should also be alert enough to take necessary precautionary measures to ensure that there is no loss of life and property.”

Extremely severe cyclonic storm 'Biparjoy' is expected to cross Saurashtra and District Kachchh around noon on June 15, said India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday.

"Extremely severe cyclonic storm 'Biparjoy' is expected to cross Saurashtra and District Kachchh around noon on June 15. People should stay at safe locations on the day it crosses the Gujarat coast," said IMD Director General, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra while talking to ANI.

He said that when the cyclonic storm reaches near the cost of Kachchh the wind speed is expected to reach around 125 to 135 kmph.

ANI

The cyclone is very likely to move nearly northward till the morning of June 14, then move north-northeastwards and cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi in Gujarat and Karachi in Pakistan around noon of June 15 as a very severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph: IMD. 

Cyclone Biparjoy intensified into an "extremely severe cyclonic storm" on Sunday morning and is likely to make landfall between the Kutch district of Gujarat and Karachi in Pakistan on June 15, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The meteorological office has issued a cyclone alert for Saurashtra and Kutch coasts.

Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel held a video conference with all the officials of the potentially affected area.

Chief Secretary Rajkumar, DGP Vikas Sahay, Relief Commissioner Alok Pandey, and heads of the Revenue Department, Energy Department and Road Building Department joined the meeting.

After a preliminary discussion with all heads of department, the Collectors and concerned officials of the potentially affected districts also joined through video conference.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday paid a visit to the State Emergency Operation Center to review the preparedness of coastal districts of the state against possible cyclones, reported ANI. 

This was in view of the ongoing 'extremely severe' cyclonic storm, Biparjoy which is about to make landfall at the Kutchh and Saurashtra coast in Gujarat as well as in Pakistan on Thursday.

Cyclone Alert for Saurashtra and Kutch Coast: Yellow Message. Biparjoy lay at 11:30am today, about 450 km SSW of Porbandar, 490 km SSW of Dwarka, 570 km SSW of Naliya. It will cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjacent Pakistan coasts around noon of June 15 as a very severe cyclonic storm, said IMD. 

Heavy rains followed by strong winds killed at least 27 people, including eight children, in northwest Pakistan, officials said Sunday.

"At least 12 people were buried alive after the roofs and walls of their houses collapsed," Taimur Ali Khan, a spokesman for the provincial disaster management authority told AFP.

The storms hit four districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province late Saturday, with 15 people killed in Bannu district, including five siblings aged between two and 11.

More than 140 people were injured and more than 200 livestock died, he said.

Gujarat will witness thunderstorm activity during the next five days with high wind speed. Tithal Beach, a popular tourist spot in Gujarat's Valsad, has been temporarily shut due to high tide and gusty winds.

As cyclonic storm Biparjoy intensified Sunday and continued to approach the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat, the state government closed beaches and started alerting people living along the coast.

Roxy Mathew Koll, climate scientist at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology tweeted that the imprint of climate change on the Arabian Sea is clear. "The increase in cyclone activity in the Arabian Sea is tightly linked to the rising ocean temperatures and increased availability of moisture under global warming. Arabian Sea used to be cool, but now it is a warm pool.”

Biparjoy’s slow movement raised concerns about weak monsoon conditions till at least mid-June over interior parts of the country. IMD’s extended range forecast released on Thursday showed rains picking up during last week of June and rainfall over interior parts of the country during the week of June 30 to July 6. Rains haven’t started in interior parts of the country yet as forecast by IMD. Read more

"This is only the second time in north Indian ocean history, that both the Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal had a category 3 or higher intensity cyclone in the same pre monsoon season. Only such incidence was in 2019," according to Vineet Kumar Singh, researcher from Typhoon Research Centre, Jeju National University.

The exact place where it will make landfall will become clearer in the coming days, news agency PTI reported quoting a senior scientist at the IMD, DS Pai.

Cyclone 'Biparjoy' is likely to make landfall between Kutch district of Gujarat and Karachi in Pakistan on June 15, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The met office also issued a cyclone alert for Saurashtra and Kutch coasts.

"This cyclone has again gone rapid intensification (2nd in its lifetime) and intensified by 75 kmph to reach peak intensity of 195 kmph. Biparjoy is also the strongest cyclone in Arabian Sea (including all months) after cyclone Tauktae," said Vineet Kumar Singh, researcher from Typhoon Research Centre, Jeju National University.

Very severe cyclonic storm ‘Biparjoy’ over eastcentral Arabian Sea moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 9 kmph during past six hours, intensifed into an extremely severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 165 to 175 kmph gusting to 195 kmph and lay about 580 km west-southwest of Mumbai, 480 km south-southwest of Porbandar, 530 km south-southwest of Dwarka, 610 km south-southwest of Naliya and 780 km south of Karachi.

The very severe cyclonic storm ‘Biparjoy’ intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm at 5.30 am today. 

“VSCS BIPARJOY intensified into an ESCS at 0530IST today, about 480 km SSW of Porbandar, 530 km SSW of Dwarka and 610 km SSW of Naliya . To cross Saurashtra & Kutch and adj. Pakistan coasts bw Mandvi, Gujarat and Karachi, Pakistan around noon of 15th June as VSCS,” the IMD tweeted.

While Biparjoy is not likely to make landfall on the Gujarat coast, the eastward pivot means it is more likely to produce heavy rain and strong winds at Saurashtra and Kutch, according to Met officials.