140 kmph, Biparjoy uproots trees, power poles; two dead

New Delhi/Ahmedabad, June 15

Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall near Jakhau Port in Gujarat on Thursday evening with a wind speed of 115-125 kmph gusting to 140 kmph as heavy rains lashed the coastal region, where several areas plunged into darkness due to power cuts and a large number of trees, electric poles and hoardings got uprooted.

A father-son duo died while trying to save their goats stuck in a flooded ravine in Bhavnagar district.

90 trains cancelled

• Biparjoy landfall began at 7 pm in Jakhau on Wednesday
• Heavy rain in Saurashtra and Kutch districts of Gujarat
• Trees uprooted, electricity poles damaged, over 90 trains cancelled till June 18

A relief and rescue operation was underway with multiple teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) deployed in the affected districts, while and the armed forces were on standby for any emergency situation, officials said.

50-km EYE diameter

10 days lifespan so far

94,427 evacuated

20.5 cm expected rainfall

27 teams of ndrf, sdrf

Biparjoy (meaning disaster or calamity in Bengali) unleashed destructive wind speed and incessant rains as trees and electricity poles were uprooted, while seawater entered villages located in low-lying areas, they said.

CM Bhupendra Patel reviewed the situation and the rescue and relief operations at the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) in Gandhinagar. The landfall process of the “very severe cyclonic storm” commenced at 6:30 pm along the coast of Saurashtra-Kutch, and was likely to be completed over land by midnight, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

After the landfall, the cyclone is likely to convert into cyclonic storm by Friday morning, IMD Ahmedabad director Manorama Mohanty said. “Astronomical tide” of up to 3-6 metres at different places along Gujarat coasts was likely to inundate the low-lying areas. Tides of up to 7.5 metres were recorded at Navlakhi in the region, and 6.8 metres near Deendayal port, IMD said. /PTI