Cyclone Biparjoy: Meteorological department issues red alert for coastal Gujarat as winds intensify

India and Pakistan are continuing to prepare for Cyclone Biparjoy, which is expected to make landfall near Kutch in India and then proceed into Pakistan.

The Met Department reported the entire destruction of thatched dwellings and substantial damage to kutcha houses in numerous districts as Biparjoy prepared to make landfall between Gujarat's Mandvi and Pakistan's port city of Karachi on June 15. 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a weather warning for Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, and Lakshadweep. 

Also Read: Cyclone Biparjoy expected to cross Gujarat’s Saurashtra, Kutch; weakens into ‘very severe’ cyclonic storm: IMD

Because of the impending cyclone, fishing activities in Gujarat have been banned till June 16, ports have been closed, and ships have been moored. The water has been quite rough, and the weather has become inclement, with unusually heavy rains and high winds in the region.

The IMD predicts that Cyclone Biparjoy will cross Saurashtra and Kutch, as well as the adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan), near Jakhau port (Gujarat), by the evening of June 15 as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph.

As a result, heavy to very heavy rain is expected in Porbandar, Rajkot, Morbi, Junagadh, and the other districts of Saurashtra and North Gujarat on Thursday.

According to CPRO Western Railway, 69 trains have been cancelled, 33 have been short-terminated, and 27 have been short-originated as a precautionary measure in light of Cyclone Biparjoy.