Cyclone Biparjoy is expected to make landfall near Jakhau Port in Gujarat's Kutch district between 6-8 PM on Thursday with maximum wind speed reaching up to 150 kilometres per hour. The landfall will continue till midnight.
As of Thursday morning, Biparjoy was less than 200 kilometres from the Gujarat coast.
Its impending landfall in the evening, along with the anticipated heavy rain and storm surge, has led to the evacuation of over 94,000 people living in vulnerable areas.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said the cyclone would bring extremely heavy rainfall and cause 'astronomical tide' with a storm surge of 2-3 metres height that could inundate low-lying areas in Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar and Morbi districts during landfall.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Railway Protection Force (RPF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Army units are on standby to provide assistance and support, said Amit Arora, the collector of Kutch, Gujarat.
Cyclone Biparjoy Highlights:
The Navy has placed four ships equipped with Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) capabilities on standby.
Additionally, relief teams are stationed at Porbandar, Okha, and Valsura, ready to provide immediate assistance. Helicopters stationed at INS Hansa in Goa and INS Shikra in Mumbai are prepared to be deployed to Gujarat if necessary.
IMD Warning: Damage expected in these areas
Cyclone Biparjoy is likely to destroy thatched houses and cause extensive damage to kutcha houses, and slight damage to pucca houses. Flying objects pose a potential threat, and power and communication poles may bend or uproot due to the severe cyclonic storm.
Major damage to roads, flooding of escape routes, disruption of railways, power lines, and signalling systems are anticipated. Standing crops, plantations, orchards, and coconut trees are at risk of damage, while bushy trees like mango may be blown down. Small boats and country crafts may become detached from their moorings, and visibility will be severely affected by salt spray.
Warning for fishermen
Fishermen are strongly advised to suspend all fishing operations in the northeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea. Those currently at sea are urged to return to the coast. Offshore and onshore activities should be regulated cautiously, and precautions should be taken at ports along the west coast of the country.
Naval bases are also instructed to maintain necessary precautions.
Movement of motor boats and small ships in these areas should be avoided. Evacuation measures should be mobilised for coastal areas of Saurashtra and Kutch, while rail and road traffic should be regulated.
People in affected areas are advised to remain indoors, and tourism activities may be restricted during this period.
The authorities are closely monitoring the situation and are prepared to respond promptly to any emergencies that may arise.
Flights at Jamnagar airport suspended till Friday, NOTAM issued
Commercial flight operations at Gujarat's Jamnagar airport will remain suspended till Friday ahead of cyclone Biparjoy's landfall.
The airport has issued a NOTAM for three days -- Wednesday-Friday. Diesel and petrol required to operate the airport in an emergency have also been stored.
According to NOTAM, Air India and Star Air have cancelled their scheduled flights. NOTAM means 'Notice to Airmen' -- it is issued at the airport for flights coming from outside.
WATCH |
Mandaviya reviews preparedness measures
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday reviewed the preparedness measures being taken in Kutch for cyclone Biparjoy.
The Union health minister visited the Bhuj Air Force station to take stock of the preparations made by 'Garuda' Emergency Response Team of the Indian Air Force.
He said, "Our jawans are fully prepared for the safety of life and property from the cyclone."
He also reviewed the availability of oxygen, ventilators and critical care beds in Kutch district government hospitals, trust-run hospitals and other hospitals in the region.
He further reviewed the preparations of health facilities that will be made immediately available if needed, post the cyclone.
Mandaviya interacted with drivers of 108 emergency ambulance services in Kutch and stated that "their enthusiasm and support have been a confidence booster."
He said under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "all possible arrangements are being made by the central and state governments to deal with cyclone Biparjoy."
17 SDRF teams deployed in Rajasthan
'Red' alert has been issued for Barmer and Jalore for Friday, and Jodhpur, Pali and Nagaur for Saturday.
An 'orange' alert has been issued in Rajsamand Friday, while it will come to effect in Jaipur, Ajmer, Tonk and Nagaur on Saturday.
After the cyclone hits the Gujarat coast, its effect will be visible in the south-western part of Rajasthan.
By Friday afternoon, this cyclone will enter Rajasthan in the form of a depression, which will end up turning into a low-pressure area by the time it approaches Jodhpur on Saturday.
Meanwhile, seventeen SDRF teams have been deployed in Rajasthan to deal with the impact of Biparjoy, a top official said on Wednesday.
Rajasthan Chief Secretary Usha Sharma held a meeting with officials of various departments and district collectors to review the preparations to deal with the effects of the cyclone.
A meteorological department official said in the meeting that under the impact of Cyclone Biparjoy, a deep depression will hit Jalore and Barmer on June 16, bringing heavy rains and thunderstorms with wind speeds up to 50 to 60 km per hour.
Heavy rain alert for Karnataka
Heavy rain is expected to continue in all three districts of the coastal region -- Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada.
In Uttara Kannada, district authorities have declared a high wave alert till June 19. It is predicted that waves may reach up to three to four meters.
The south interior districts of Bengaluru Rural, Chitradurga, Kolar, Mandya, Ramanagar and Tumakuru will also receive heavy rains.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru city, Chamarajanagar, Chikkaballapur, Hassan, Kodagu and Mysuru districts will receive normal showers.
(With inputs from PTI, IANS, ANI and ENS)