In a dramatic rescue operation spread across 48 hours the Indian Coast Guard has succeeded in evacuating 50 personnel from an oil rig located 40 km off the coast of Gujarat as the state preps for the impact of cyclonic storm Biparjoy.
The 50 personnel were evacuated in two batches -24 were rescued this morning and 26 on Monday. "All 50 personnel have been evacuated… from jack-up rig 'Key Singapore' operating off Dwarka coast near Okha (in) Gujarat by ICG ALH Dhruv helicopters," the maritime defence organisation said.
Watch video of Indian Coast Guard's heroic rescue
The ALH, or Advanced Light Helicopters, and naval vessels carried out the rescue mission despite 'very rough sea conditions' because of Biparjoy, which is expected to make landfall along Gujarat's Kutch coast Thursday.
Where is Cyclone Biparjoy and what next?
{{/usCountry}}The ALH, or Advanced Light Helicopters, and naval vessels carried out the rescue mission despite 'very rough sea conditions' because of Biparjoy, which is expected to make landfall along Gujarat's Kutch coast Thursday.
Where is Cyclone Biparjoy and what next?
{{/usCountry}}The intensity of rainfall in Gujarat is expected to gradually increase as Biparjoy approaches, according to the Indian Meteorological Department.
Biparjoy is very likely to move nearly northwards till Wednesday morning and then move north-northeast and make landfall near coastal Gujarat districts of Saurashtra and Kutch, as well as adjoining parts of Pakistan's coast.
The cyclone is expected to hit the coastal areas with a maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph.
Saurashtra and Kutch are likely to witness light to moderate rainfall today.
The intensity of rainfall is likely to increase on Thursday, with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy falls at isolated places over Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka and Jamnagar and heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places over Porbandar, Rajkot, Morbi and Junagarh districts.