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Cyclone Biparjoy: PM Modi holds high-level meeting, landfall likely Wednesday
The cyclone has been moving northwards at a speed of five kilometres per hour, and is centred approximately 340 kms southwest of Gujarat's Porbandar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review the government's preparedness for Cyclone Biparjoy which has intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm over the east central Arabian Sea. During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed about the situation of the cyclone and the measures taken by the government.
The prime minister directed the senior officials to take measures to ensure that people living in vulnerable locations are safely evacuated by the state Government. He also directed them to ensure maintenance of all essential services such as power, telecommunications, health, drinking water etc. are restored immediately in the event of damages caused to them.
“He also directed that the safety of animals should also be ensured. He further directed for 24*7 functioning of control rooms”, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement.
The cyclone has been moving northwards at a speed of five kilometres per hour, and is centred approximately 340 kms southwest of Gujarat's Porbandar. It is expected to make landfall on the Kutch coast on June 15 as per India Meteorological Department.
The fishing activities along Gujarat's southern and northern coasts have been suspended as the authorities begun the evacuation of people in districts by the sea in view of the cyclone.
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According to officials in coastal Dwarka, around 1,300 people have been shifted to safe places so far. Section 144 has been imposed in coastal areas of Kutch district as the local administration is working to evacuate people from areas close to sea in the Saurashtra-Kutch regions.
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The warning signals have been placed along the coasts for fishermen who have been advised not to venture into the sea till June 15. On the other hand, the fishermen out at sea have been advised to return to the coast.
The Centre has asked the Gujarat government to regulare onshore and offshore activities and mobilise evacuation from coastal areas of Saurashtra and Kutch from districts including Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagadh and Morbi.
