Over 21,000 evacuated as cyclone Biparjoy barrels towards Gujarat; Union ministers deployed across coast for relief coordination: Key points | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: As cyclone ‘Biparjoy‘ with an “extensive damaging potential” is likely to make landfall near Jakhau port in Gujarat’s Kutch district on Thursday evening, the administration has so far shifted 21,000 people from different coastal districts to temporary shelters.
Cyclone Biparjoy LIVE Updates
The government is aiming to evacuate people within 10 km of the coast.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclone is predicted to make landfall near Jakhau port as a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ with maximum wind speed reaching up to 150 kilometres per hour (kmph).

The cyclone is likely to impact the Kutch, Devbhoomi Dwarka and Jamnagar districts of Gujarat the most and an orange alert has been declared for the areas.
Here are the top developments through the day:
Action plan in place to tackle health emergencies: Minister
With cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ barrelling towards Kutch district in Gujarat, shelter homes are being set up with arrangements for rations and meals while an action plan is being put in place to tackle medical and health emergencies, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday.
He said all labourers working at ports in coastal areas have been evacuated, ships have been anchored, and crew members shifted to safer places.

Mandaviya, who is at Bhuj in coastal Kutch district, and four other Union ministers from Gujarat reached various districts that are likely to be impacted by the cyclone to help and coordinate with the state administration in rescue and evacuation measures.
He said better coordination among different state and Central agencies is vital to deal with the cyclone. “When all state and Central departments, the broadcast department, and the Army work in tandem, they can achieve great results. India is known in the world for its disaster management,” he said.
Union ministers deployed for better coordination
For better coordination between central and state authorities, several union ministers have been deployed to districts that could face the brunt of the cyclone.
Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya is at Bhuj in coastal Kutch district. Union minister Parshottam Rupala is at Devbhumi Dwarka, Darshana Jardosh at Porbandar, Devusinh Chauhan at Jamnagar and Mahendra Munjpara at Gir Somnath.
Cyclone Biparjoy has extensive damaging potential: IMD
Biparjoy weakened from an extremely severe cyclone to a very severe cyclone on Tuesday “but its damaging potential could be extensive”, said IMD director general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra on Tuesday.
The cyclone could lead to extremely heavy rainfall (over 20 cm) in Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar and Porbandar districts from June 13-15.
“Usually, these areas do not receive such intense precipitation at this time of the year. Therefore, there is a risk of flooding in the low-lying areas,” he cautioned.
Rajkot, Morbi and Junagarh may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall.
Winds gusting up to 145 kmph are predicted to batter all these districts on June 15.
Gusty winds and rain may cause extensive damage to standing crops, houses, roads, electricity and communication poles, and flooding of escape routes.
“Up to six-metre-high tidal waves are likely to inundate low-lying areas of Saurashtra and Kutch coasts. We have recommended evacuation of the population in such areas and action is being taken,” Mohapatra said.
Evacuation underway
Gujarat’s Commissioner of Relief Alok Kumar Pandey said they have already started evacuating people residing near the coast who are likely to be affected the most during the landfall.

“So far, various district administrations have shifted nearly 21,000 people to temporary shelters. The evacuation process is still on and all the targeted population will be shifted by Tuesday evening to safer places,” said Pandey.
Among the 21,000 people, nearly 6,500 were evacuated in Kutch district alone, followed by 5,000 in Devbhumi Dwarka, 4,000 in Rajkot, 2,000 in Morbi, more than 1,500 in Jamnagar, 550 in Porbandar and 500 in Junagadh district, he told reporters in Gandhinagar.
He said one person has died in an incident linked to the cyclone.
He said the rescue operation is being carried out in two phases, with people residing 0 to 5 km from the seashore to be shifted first. Thereafter, people living within a distance of 5 to 10 km from the coast will be moved to safer places, with priority to be given to children, pregnant women and the elderly.

A total of 12 teams each of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in the districts that are likely to be affected by the cyclone and arrangements have been made for the accommodation, food and medicine of the evacuated people.
Amit Shah chairs review meeting
Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday chaired a review meeting on the preparedness for cyclone ‘Biparjoy’.
Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel and MPs from eight districts that may face the brunt of the storm, virtually participated in the meeting.
Nearly 70 trains cancelled
A total of 69 trains have been cancelled and 55 trains have either been short-terminated or short-originated in view of cyclone Biparjoy, said Sumit Thakur, CPRO, Western Railways on Tuesday.
In addition to this, various safety and security-related precautions are also being taken by WR for train passengers in these potential areas falling under its jurisdiction, added Western Railway.
50 evacuated from oil rig
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) evacuated 50 personnel from an oil rig located 40 km off the Dwarka coast in an overnight operation amid inclement weather conditions due to the cyclone, the maritime agency said on Tuesday.
“India Coast Guard Region NorthWest evacuated 50 personnel from oil rig ‘Key Singapore’ 40 km seaward from Dwarka in seven sorties of overnight ops by ICG ALH aircraft and ship Shoor,” the ICG said in a release.
It said the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and ship braved “very rough sea conditions” and inclement weather due to approaching Biparjoy.
Cabinet secretary holds crisis panel meet
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba chaired the meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee over cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ and stressed the need to ensure that people from vulnerable areas are evacuated well in time and that preventive and precautionary measures are taken by concerned authorities.

Reviewing preparedness measures of the central and state agencies, the Cabinet Secretary said, “The aim should be to keep the loss of lives to zero and minimise damage to property and infrastructure such as power and telecom, and in case of damage to this infrastructure, it must be restored in the shortest possible time.”
Biparjoy may become cyclone with longest lifespan
Biparjoy, the first cyclone in the Arabian Sea this year, underwent rapid intensification on June 6 and 7, escalating from a cyclonic circulation to a very severe cyclonic storm in just 48 hours, defying earlier predictions.
It has also sustained its strength for a longer-than-normal duration, which meteorologists attribute to an unusually warm Arabian Sea.
The IMD data shows Biparjoy is on course to become the cyclone with the longest lifespan in the Arabian Sea.
The life period of Cyclone Biparjoy, which developed over the southeast Arabian Sea at 5:30 am on June 6, is about eight days and nine hours so far.
The extremely severe Cyclone Kyarr of 2019 over the Arabian Sea had a life of nine days and 15 hours.
(With inputs from agencies)
Watch Cyclone Biparjoy may cause extensive damage; Gujarat’s Kutch, Jamnagar likely to be most impacted: IMD