At least two people were killed and 22 others were hurt as Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall in western India not far from the Pakistani border. The storm’s intensity has decreased since Thursday night when it hit Gujarat’s coast, but it is still bringing strong gusts and rain as it passes over the state.
It has toppled trees, severed power lines, and wrecked roadways in some areas. The extent of the damage is still unknown, according to the authorities!
According to local media, a father and son livestock ranchers were reportedly carried away in Bhavnagar city while attempting to cross a flooded gully to save their goats. Additional cyclone-related fatalities have not been confirmed by Indian government officials.
Pakistan has not yet reported any injuries despite the fact that more than 80,000 people have been ejected from their houses in Sindh’s coastline region. More than 170,000 people in the two countries were evacuated from low-lying areas before the typhoon hit.
Additionally, in both nations, temporary shelters were built in government buildings and other places like school auditoriums. On Thursday, Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall close to the Gujarati port city of Jakhau in India.
The India Meteorological Department has since lowered the classification of the storm from very severe to severe.
Authorities predict that the adjacent state of Rajasthan will likely experience additional intense rain as the cyclone moves northwest over the next two days.
As the storm moves through the state, 99 railway services will remain cancelled, according to Gujarati officials.
Despite receiving the lowest severity rating of one for Cyclone Biparjoy on a scale of one to five, forecasters had warned that it might be the worst storm to hit the area in 25 years.
On Thursday evening, Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall in the coastal regions of Gujarat’s Morbi district, bringing with it severe weather. As a result, more than 300 electric poles were damaged, and more than 45 villages had power outages.
According to Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Limited (PGVCL) officials, power restoration operations are now being done in nine of the affected villages.
The ‘Biparjoy’ cyclone struck Gujarat’s coastal regions earlier on Thursday evening, inflicting at least 22 injuries. Trees and electric poles were also uprooted.
In addition, around 524 trees and electric poles fell in various locations throughout Gujarat, killing 23 animals and knocking out power to almost 940 villages, according to the officials.
The Gujarat Relief Commissioner, Alok Pandey, warned that heavy, sporadic rains and flash floods could affect Gujarat.
“The eye of the storm is currently near the Pakistan-Kutch border. The wind had an average speed of 78 kmph. There are chances of power outages. As per IMD’s forecast, the storm will reach southern Rajasthan tomorrow.
People have been alerted in the low-lying areas. There are chances of flash floods. Intermittent rainfall is expected across Gujarat with heavy rainfall near the storm epicentre,” he added.
The cyclone “Biparjoy” is anticipated to weaken much more by Friday morning and change into a depression the next evening, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
IMD authorities anticipate that the severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy will move northeast and be centred over the Saurashtra-Kutch region.
Rajasthan is predicted to get significant rainfall on Friday.
“The severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy lay centred over the Saurashtra-Kutch region, 30 km north of Naliya as of 0230 IST today,” IMD said in a tweet.
“It is expected to move northeastwards and weaken into a Cyclonic Storm by early morning on June 16, and into a depression by the same evening over south Rajasthan,” it added.
The cyclone, according to IMD Director Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, has now made its way from the sea to land and is centred in Saurashtra-Kutch.
“Cyclone Biporjoy moved northeastwards and crossed the Saurashtra-Kutch adjoining Pakistan coast close to the Jakhau port, Gujarat. The cyclone has now moved from sea to land and is centred towards Saurashtra-Kutch,” Mohapatra told the sources.
He added, “The intensity of the cyclone has reduced to 105-115 kmph. The category has changed from very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS) to severe cyclonic storm (SCS). There may be heavy rains in Rajasthan today.
Cyclone Biparjoy’s power decreased from’very strong’ to’severe’ on the night between Thursday and Friday after making landfall in Gujarat’s coastal districts.
When Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall in Gujarat’s coastal region, it had been developing over the Arabian Sea for some days and had an effect on the train services. 99 trains that were passing through, arriving at, or departing from the Biparjoy-affected areas of Gujarat had to be cancelled or short-terminated as a result, according to Western Railway.
According to officials, several relief and rescue teams are on alert as tens of thousands of people were evacuated to safe regions in Gujarat.
On Thursday morning, the Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel presided over a review meeting at the State Emergency Operation Centre in Gandhinagar.
The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “Biparjoy” would pass over Saurashtra and Kutch as well as the adjoining Pakistani coastlines by Thursday evening, between Mandvi and Karachi near Jakhau Port, according to an earlier Red notice from the IMD for the Saurashtra and Kutch coasts.
Due to high-speed winds, high seas, and heavy rainfall, the India Meteorological Department has already issued warnings of substantial damage to temporary habitation structures and tree and branch falls.