Gujarat Braces For Impact As Cyclone Bipajroy Nears; Evacuation Along Coasts Begin

As Gujarat braces for the landfall of extremely severe cyclonic storm 'Bipajroy', the government has started evacuating people from vulnerable areas on Sunday, along with closing down popular beaches as the weather office issued a heavy rainfall warning for Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh and Morbi districts due to the approaching cyclone.

In its latest bulletin, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the 'extremely severe cyclonic storm' was very likely to move north-northeast and cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) by the noon of June 15 as a 'very severe cyclonic storm' with maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kilometres per hours (kmph) gusting to 150 kmph.

Here is how Gujarat is preparing for the impact as cyclone Biparjoy is likely to make landfall between Kutch and Pakistan's Karachi on June 15.

Evacuation teams

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has held a meeting with collectors of coastal districts, representatives of the Army, Navy and Indian Coast Guard and officials of various departments, Relief Commissioner Alok Pandey told reporters.

He said officials of various departments have been directed to prepare in advance to mitigate the impact of the cyclone in coastal districts and establish coordination to keep casualties to the minimum.

Seven teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 12 teams of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are being deployed along the coastal areas.

Various departments including fisheries, health and agriculture have been asked to work in coordination, according to the state government. Additionally, all vessels of the Indian Navy are alerted and advised to move towards safer positions.

The government will set up shelter houses in the six districts for those residing within a 5-10 km radius of the coastline who will be shifted to safer places, officials also said.

The CM has assigned the responsibility of coastal districts to senior ministers who will guide the local administration to plan and undertake disaster management works considering the possible impact of the cyclone.

Warnings for fishermen

Days ahead of the landfall, warning signals were hoisted along the coasts for fishermen, who have been advised not to venture into the central Arabian Sea till June 15, and north Arabian Sea on Monday, the officials said, adding that fishermen out at sea have been advised to return to the coast.

Fishing activities along Gujarat's south and north coasts have also been suspended. 

The Centre has directed the state government to regulate 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.

Educational institutions closed

The Gujarat government has declared holidays for schools in coastal Kutch, Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka and Junagadh districts in the state’s Saurashtra region as a precautionary measure. 

According to a report by Indian Express, schools in Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar and Junagadh districts will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday, while those in Kutch have been asked to stay shut till June 15 as the extremely severe cyclonic storm continued to approach the Saurashtra coast.

The state government has also decided to postpone Shala Praveshotsav, its annual ceremonial school enrolment drive, in the six coastal districts of Junagadh, Porbandar, Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Morbi and Kutch, which fall in the anticipated path of Bipajroy, Indian Express also reported.

The IMD has warned of wind speed of up to 120-130 kmph gusting to 145 kmph from the morning of June 15 when the cyclone makes landfall in Saurashtra Kutch region.

(With inputs from PTI)