Cyclone Biparjoy Makes Landfall in Gujarat, 3 Injured; Strong Winds, Rains Continue | 10 Points

At least three people were injured, trees and electric polls were uprooted and a few houses got damaged as ‘very severe’ cyclonic storm Biprajoy made the landfall near Jakhau port in Gujarat’s Kutch district after churning across the Arabian Sea for over 10 days. Several relief and rescue teams remained alert as about one lakh people were evacuated to safer places in the state. As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the landfall process will continue midnight.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel over the phone and inquired about the situation in the state amid the landfall process of cyclonic storm. He also inquired about the arrangements made for the safety of animals at Gir Forest.

Strong winds and heavy rains lashed Kutch and Saurashtra coasts in Gujarat. “Dense convective clouds have entered Kutch and Devbhumi Dwarka districts and therefore, the landfall process has commenced. It will continue until midnight,” IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said, adding that the eye of the cyclone is around 50 km in diametre.

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The coastal regions of Pakistan were also on high alert with over 82,000 people being evacuated to safer places in the southern Sindh province due to the cyclone. Biparjoy, meaning disaster or calamity in Bengali, is inching closer to Pakistan, prompting authorities to take preventive measures to minimise the damage it may cause to life and property in the coastal region of the country which was hard hit by the devastating floods last year.

(with inputs from PTI)