Amit Shah conducts aerial survey of Cyclone Biparjoy affected areas in Gujarat’s Kutch

Aerial surveys of the Kutch region of Gujarat that were impacted by Cyclone Biparjoy were done on Saturday by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

Shah will meet with Patel and other top officers for a review meeting later in the day. Shah will next travel to Mandvi to see those affected by the cyclone before travelling to Bhuj’s Swami Narayan Temple to examine the food supplies and other amenities being offered to those in need.

Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall on Thursday night about 10 km north of the Jakhau Port in Kutch, Gujarat. It had its origins in the Arabian Sea and had raced over the west coast of India.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclone has fallen into a “deep depression” and is projected to continue to diminish over the following 12 hours into a depression.

At 11:30 p.m. on Friday over Southeast Pakistan, the cyclonic storm degenerated into a “deep depression,” according to IMD.

“At 2330 hours IST yesterday, June 16, 2023, over Southeast Pakistan next to Southwest Rajasthan and Kutch, about 100 km northeast of Dholavira, Cyclonic Storm Biparjoy deteriorated into a Deep Depression. To gradually deteriorate into a Depression during the course of the following 12 hours,” IMD tweeted.

Meanwhile, earlier it was reported that several trees were uprooted in Bhuj, Kutch, due to the impact of the cyclone. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team carried out the clearance work on Friday.

A total of six National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams evacuated 127 civilians from Rupen Bandar Government Primary School and reshifted to NDH School Dwarka after Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall in coastal areas of the state on Thursday evening.

According to NDRF, the evacuated civilians include 82 men, 27 women and 15 children. With a prediction of heavy rainfall for the next two days for Gujarat after cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ made landfall in the state, Western Railways on Friday decided to cancel, partially cancel the operation of a few more trains as a precautionary measure in the cyclone-prone areas.

Gujarat Chief Minister held a meeting at the State Emergency Operations Center in Gandhinagar to take stock of the situation in the state in the wake of Cyclone Biparjoy’s landfall.

The Gujarat CM ordered the District Collectors of affected areas to conduct surveys to assess the damage in their districts.

Strong winds and rain from cyclone Biparjoy caused a power failure in Gujarat’s Jamnagar district. PGVCL (Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Limited) teams were in action mode on Friday to restore the issue.

Out of the damaged property, 414 feeders, 221 electric poles and one TC were made operational immediately. The power supply was restored in villages of Jamnagar district.

The one current transformer that was made functional promptly was located in Kalavad taluka of Jamnagar. Giving an update, NDRF Director General Atul Karwal on Friday said that there has been no loss of lives reported after Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall in Gujarat.

“Twenty-four animals have died and 23 people have been injured. Electricity supply has been interrupted in about a thousand villages. 800 trees have fallen. It is not raining heavily anywhere except Rajkot,” the NDRF DG Karwal said.