Cyclone Biparjoy: Gujarat reports 3 deaths; evacuation underway, trains cancelled

As Cyclone Biparjoy intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm and is forecast to make a landfall between Kutch and Karachi on Thursday (June 15) afternoon, authorities in Gujarat said they would begin evacuating people from villages within 10 km of the coast in the affected Kutch and Saurashtra districts.

Three cyclone-related deaths were reported in the state on Thursday. While two children died in a wall collapse incident in Kutch, a woman was killed in Rajkot when a tree fell on her.

About 7,500 people living in low-lying areas near the coast in these two districts have already been evacuated.

Union Minister Purushottam Rupala visited the Dwarkadish temple at Dwarka in Kutch on Tuesday (June 13) to offer prayers. An alert level nine was sounded on Monday (June 12) for the coastal regions along Kutch and Saurashtra. The priest in the temple reportedly refused to be evacuated and chose to remain in the temple.

The Deendayal Port in Kandla, Kutch district, one of the largest public ports in the country, has closed down its operations as a precautionary measure on Tuesday (June 13).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level review meeting on Monday (June 12) when the state officials briefed him about the measures already taken to prepare for the cyclone. He ordered the officials to make every possible effort to evacuate everyone from the regions close to the coast.

Also read: Cyclone Biparjoy intensifies into severe cyclonic storm, affecting monsoon

Gujarat Relief Commissioner Alok Pandey said that a dozen teams each of the national and state disaster forces have been deployed and arrangements made for shelter, food, and medicines of those evacuated. The Army and Navy have been kept on standby and Indian Coast Guard ships are patrolling off the coast.

The IMD issued a tweet on Tuesday morning (June 13), “Cyclone Warning for Saurashtra and Kutch coasts: Orange Message. VSCS Biparjoy at 0530IST of today about 300 km WSW Porbandar, 290 km SW of Devbhumi Dwarka, 340 km SSW pf Jakhau Port, 350 km SSW of Naliya. To cross near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by the evening of 15th June as VSCS.”

Cyclone Warning for Saurashtra and Kutch Coasts: Orange Message. VSCS BIPARJOY at 0530IST of today about 300km WSW of Porbandar, 290km SW of Devbhumi Dwarka, 340km SSW of Jakhau Port, 350km SSW of Naliya. To cross near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by the evening of 15th June as VSCS. pic.twitter.com/WM61VMdvxc

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) June 13, 2023

Railways cancels several trains, takes precautionary measures

The North Western Railway (NWR) has cancelled some trains as the cyclone is expected to enter southwest Rajasthan on Friday (June 16), officials said.

The Western Railway has short-terminated more than 50 trains heading to coastal areas of the state and is considering cancellation of several trains over the next three days, a release said.

“The WR is taking various measures including setting up disaster management rooms, help desks, and keeping relief trains ready,” the release said on Monday.

The wind speed is being monitored at five locations in Bhavnagar division, at eight sites in Rajkot, and at three spots in Ahmedabad division on an hourly basis, and station masters have been instructed to regulate or stop trains when the wind velocity exceeds 50 kmph, as per the release.

Also read: Cyclone Biparjoy: Gujarat braces for June 15 landfall; classes suspended, evacuation afoot

According to IMD, Biparjoy is likely to make landfall near the Jakhau port in Kutch district on Thursday afternoon as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum wind speed reaching up to 150 kilometres per hour.

As many as 56 trains heading to Gandhidham, Veraval, Okha, and Porbandar in coastal Gujarat have been short-terminated at Ahmedabad, Rajkot, and Surendranagar. Around 95 trains are being proposed for cancellation between June 13 to June 15, the western railways release said.

Sumit Thakur, chief public relations officer (CPRO), WR, said passenger trains scheduled from June 12 onwards in the vulnerable sections are being reviewed and necessary decisions would be taken. Several trains have been cancelled and short-terminated as a precautionary measure in view of the safety of passengers and train operations, Thakur said.

Cyclone Biparjoy is likely to hit the Saurashtra and Kutch regions of Gujarat, covering Bhavnagar, Rajkot, and Ahmedabad divisions of the Western Railway. As Veraval-Junagad, Porbandar-Kanalus, Rajkot-Okha, and Viramgam-Gandhidham-Bhuj sections are most vulnerable to this cyclone, the WR has taken various safety and security precautions, the release said.

Also read: Cyclone Biparjoy: Scenario in Gujarat ahead of landfall

WR general manager Ashok Kumar Misra convened a virtual meeting with senior officials to review the cyclone preparations and gave necessary directives regarding arrangements of various logistics and train movement including speed restrictions and cancellation of trains as a safety and precautionary measure.

Restriction has been imposed on inward and outward traffic of Double Stack Container (DSC) movement as well as on inward traffic for all terminals of Ahmedabad, Rajkot, and Bhavnagar divisions till June 16, with immediate effect, the WR said.

Railways disaster management rooms made operational

A disaster management room has been made operational at the Western Railway headquarters in Mumbai and at divisional headquarters at Bhavnagar, Rajkot, and Ahmedabad. Additionally, hotlines between them have been ensured for smooth functioning.

The divisions concerned have been put on alert to tackle the situation with arrangements for tree-cutting equipment, DG sets, diesel-driven pumps, earth-moving equipment, Poclain, JCBs, utility vehicles, adequate fuel resources, etc, the release said.

Also read: Cyclone Biparjoy: Gujarat on alert, 1,300 people evacuated; Modi to hold review meeting

Relief trains have been equipped with adequate medicines and are kept on alert. Help desks have been opened at Bhavnagar, Porbandar, Veraval, and Junagadh in Bhavnagar Division, Okha, Dwarka, Khambhaliya, Jamnagar, Hapa, Surendranagar, and Morbi in Rajkot Division, and at Gandhidham and Bhuj in Ahmedabad Division, the release said.

(With inputs from agencies)