With Cyclone Biparjoy inching closer to the Gujarat coast, it is likely to make landfall between 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on June 15 as a very severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds ranging from 125 to 135 kmph.
The Cyclone will cross Saurashtra & Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi and Karachi near Jakhau port in Kutch. At present, the Cyclone is around 180 km west-southwest of Jakhau Port.
While authorities have issued red alert in six coastal districts of the State, around 74,000 people have been shifted to government shelters. Kutch and Devbhumi Dwarka have been deemed as the most vulnerable districts.
The famous temples of Dwarka and Somnath have also been shut down for public today.
The India Meteorological Department issued a warning for fishermen on June 14 for the next five days owing to rough seas and high wind speed.
Apart from this, more than 50 trains have been cancelled or short-terminated or short-originated, while the Gujarat State Road Transport Service buses have also been cancelled in some districts.
18 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 12 of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), 115 teams of the State road and building department, and 397 of the state electricity department have been deployed in different coastal districts.
Biparjoy is the first Cyclone to cross Gujarat in nearly 25 years. In June 1998, an extremely severe cyclonic storm hit Kutch and parts of the coastal districts of Saurashtra in Gujarat devastating coastal communities and killing nearly 3,000 people.
Biparjoy to impact weather in Delhi, Rajasthan
While the Cyclone in the Arabian Sea will make landfall in Gujarat, it is likely to impact the weather in Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh. Delhi will likely witness thunderstorm with light to moderate-intensity rain and gusty winds, the IMD said.
Similar warnings were also issued in several districts of U.P. and Haryana.
