PM Modi Holds High-Level Review Meet As Cyclone Biparjoy Intensifies

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting to review the situation related to Cyclone Biparjoy on Monday.

During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed about the situation of the cyclone and the measures taken by the government.

According to the weather department, Cyclone Biparjoy is very likely to move nearly northwards and reach near Pakistan and adjoining Saurashtra and Kutch coasts as a very severe cyclonic storm on June 15.

In its latest bulletin, the IMD has issued an orange alert for Saurashtra and Kutch Coasts in view of extremely severe Cyclonic storm Biparjoy over the east-central and adjoining northeast Arabian Sea.

"Cyclone Alert for Saurashtra & Kutch Coast: Orange Message. ESCS BIPARJPY at 0530IST of today over eastcentral & adjoining NE Arabian Sea near lat 19.2N & long 67.7E, about 380km SSW of Devbhumi Dwarka. To cross near Jakhau Port,Gujarat by noon of 15 June," the IMD said.

The weather department said the 'extremely severe cyclonic storm' was very likely to move north-northeast and cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) by the June 15 noon as a 'very severe cyclonic storm' with maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kilometres per hours (kmph) gusting to 150 kmph.

Fishing activities along Gujarat's south and north coasts have been suspended and authorities were evacuating people in districts by the sea in view of Biparjoy that is likely to make landfall along the Saurashtra-Kutch coasts as a very severe cyclonic storm, officials said on Monday.

Officials in coastal Devbhumi Dwarka said around 1,300 people have been shifted to safer places so far.

A team of the NDRF, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard have been deployed to assist the Gujarat government in their preparedness, rescue, and restoration efforts.