Cyclone Biparjoy: Indian Army's relief columns assist in removing fallen trees, electricity poles at Gujarat's Bhachau

New Delhi [India], June 18 : The relief columns of Konark Corps provided assistance and cleared road stretches by removing fallen trees and opening routes for maintenance as Cyclone Biparjoy left a trail of devastation in Gujarat.

Cyclone Biparjoy, which originated in the Arabian Sea and swept across the west coast of India, made landfall on Thursday night around 10 km north of the Jakhau Port in Kutch in Gujarat.

"Relief columns of Konark Corps provided 24x7 assistance to civil administration at Bhachau, Gujarat. Columns cleared road stretches by removing fallen trees and electricity poles, opening a route for maintenance. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel also interacted with Army troops earlier today (Saturday)," said Indian Army officials on Saturday.

Earlier on June 17, asserting that there was no loss of life in Gujarat due to cyclone 'Biparjoy', which made landfall in the coastal areas of his home state, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the extremely severe cyclonic storm, packing wind speeds in excess of 140 kmph, was tackled successfully.

"Today, a meeting was held in hybrid mode, featuring all the ministers, MLAs, and officers of the Gujarat government, as well as those representing the central government," Shah said.

Stressing not a single life was lost in the cyclone, the Union Home Minister said, "Today I can say with great satisfaction that, with the cooperation of PM Modi and the people in all the affected areas, we were able to face this cyclone with minimum loss."

"Heaping praise on the evacuation effort, Shah said, "The way the Gujarat government, with the support of the central agencies, worked to protect lives during the cyclone is a classic example of teamwork."

Shah said, "Only 47 people were injured after the storm hit but none severely. Also, only about 234 animals died in the cyclone."

He said that power has been restored in 1,600 of the 3,400 villages which went dark in the wake of the storm.

"I have been assured by the officials concerned that power in the remaining villages will be restored before 6 pm on June 20," said Shah.

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.

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