Remnants of cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ bring heavy rains in Guj
| Date :19-Jun-2023 |
AHMEDABAD,
PARTS of north Gujarat received extremely heavy rains in the last 24 hours as the intensity of cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ gradually reduced from a very severe cyclonic storm to a “depression”, officials said on Sunday. Authorities were on their toes in Banaskantha and Patan districts and relocated thousands of people residing in low-lying areas to safer places, they said. Remnants of cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ lay as a “depression” over south Rajasthan and it was likely to maintain its intensity on Sunday and bring rainfall in parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The depression over Central parts of south Rajasthan and neighbourhood moved east-northeast wards with a speed of 10 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered around 40 km east-southeast of Jodhpur, the IMD said in its Sunday morning bulletin. It is very likely to continue to move east-northeastwards and maintain the intensity of depression during next 12 hours, it said. As the cyclone receded further and reduced its intensity from a “very severe cyclonic storm” to “depression” after making landfall in Gujarat on Thursday evening, it brought extremely heavy rainfall in several parts of north Gujarat districts of Banaskantha and Patan, throwing normal life out of gear. Rainfall may cause inundation in low-lying areas and damage to loose structures, the IMD said. The cyclone affected eight coastal districts of Gujarat the most, but the state reported no loss of life even authorities shifted more than one lakh people to safer places. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has deployed its ships and aircraft for the assessment of damage caused to the Gujarat coast due to cyclone Biparjoy, the maritime agency said on Sunday.
There is so far no report of any adrift boats/objects, it said. “All units under the Indian Coast Guard north west region headquarters are continuing with response action at the sea post-landfall of cyclone Biparjoy. Coastal recce and extensive sorties are being undertaken to check any adrift boats/objects at the sea,” the ICG said in a statement. It said ICG ships, three Dornier aircraft and ALH MK3 helicopters have been comprehensively deployed in multi-mission mode for the purpose. They have been deployed to monitor coasts, with an emphasis on ports/harbours at Okha, Vadinar, Jakhau and Mandvi for damage assessment and response after the landfall of cyclone Biparjoy at the Kutch coast, the statement said. After the landfall of the cyclone, the ICG aircraft and helicopters have already undertaken six sorties across the Gujarat coast, and no adrift boats/objects have been reported so far, it said.
The ICG ships and aircraft were used to issue warnings to the mariners from June 6 onwards and urge people to move to safer areas. “A total of 39 ship days and 30 air sorties were undertaken specifically for that purpose. Also, six exclusive community interactions were conducted with fishermen and their leaders,” the statement said. Adherence to such advisories by mariners and timely evacuation of 50 personnel from oil rig ‘Key Singapore’ by ICG helicopters were key to the safety of lives and property in the affected areas, it said. PM HAILS INDIA’S STRENGTH OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed confidence that the people of Kutch will rapidly emerge from the devastation caused by cyclone Biparjoy and hailed the strength of disaster management that India has developed. In his “Mann Ki Baat” radio broadcast, Modi said, “Be it the loftiest goal, be it the toughest challenge, the collective might of the people of India, the collective power provides a solution to every challenge.”
