New Delhi [India], June 13 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday had a telephonic conversation with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel regarding the status and preparedness for impending Cyclone Biparjoy.
"Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modi received details regarding the status of Cyclone Biparjoy in Gujarat and the preparedness of the system through a telephonic conversation. He assured to provide all possible help to Gujarat in this situation of disaster," the Gujarat CM said in a tweet.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi also chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness of ministries/agencies of the Centre as well as Gujarat to deal with the situation.
According to the official statement, Prime Minister directed senior officers to take every possible measure to ensure that the State Government safely evacuates people living in vulnerable locations and to ensure maintenance of all essential services such as power, telecommunications, health, drinking water etc and are restored immediately in the event of damage caused to them.
During the meeting, India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that Cyclone Biparjoy is expected to cross Saurashtra and Kutch between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by noon of June 15 as a very severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 145 kmph.
Later in the day, India Meteorological Department said that impending Cyclone Biparjoy will cross near Gujarat's Jakhau Port on June 15 as a 'Very Severe Cyclonic Storm'.
"ESCS (extremely severe cyclonic storm) #Biparjoy weakened into VSCS (very severe cyclonic storm) and lay at 23.30 IST, about 310km SW of Porbandar, 320km SW of Devbhumi Dwarka, 380km SSW of Jakhau Port. To cross near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by the evening of 15th June as VSCS," IMD said in a tweet.
Union Home Ministry also released an advisory and advised total suspension of fishing operations over the east-central and adjoining west-central Arabian Sea and northeast Arabian Sea till June 15 in the wake of extremely severe cyclonic storm 'Biparjoy'.
In an advisory on Monday, the ministry asked Kerala, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra governments to keep a close watch on the situation in the wake of the severe cyclonic storm and take appropriate precautionary measures. It called for judicious regulation of offshore and onshore activities.
The advisory, which has also been sent to the Chief Secretaries of Lakshadweep and Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, said that district authorities should be asked to monitor the situation in their areas.
Notably, a total of 67 trains have been cancelled in view of cyclone Biparjoy which is set to make landfall on Thursday in Gujarat, said CPRO Western Railway on Monday.
"In view of the 'Biparjoy' cyclone in Gujarat, Western Railway has decided to completely cancel 67 train operations in its cyclone-prone areas as a precautionary measure. In addition to this, various safety and security-related precautions are also being taken by WR for train passengers in these potential areas falling under its jurisdiction," the Western Railway said in a statement.
Earlier today, National Disaster Response Force said that it has deployed two of its teams in addition to the already available three teams in Mumbai as a precautionary measure against Cyclone Biporjay.
NDRF said that it has moved four other teams to Gujarat as it expects to have more impact over there. It also informed that a team having around 22 rescuers has been deployed in the coastal area of Diu since Saturday.
"A team of NDRF has been deployed in the coastal area of Diu since June 11 in view of Cyclone Biparjoy. This team is capable of handling every situation. There are around 22 rescuers in the team," Amit Kumar Jakhar, Officer 6th Battalion, NDRF told ANI.
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Deputy Director General (Ops) Manish Pathak said that the Indian Coast Guard has taken all preventive measures regarding the impending Cyclone Biparjoy.
While speaking to ANI, DDG OPS Manish Pathak said, "The Indian Coast Guard has taken all the preventive measures. We have warned all the fishermen, though a fishing ban is in progress on the west coast of India from June 1 to July 31. However, country boats, the smaller ones which were out at sea have been shepherded back."
"In view of the impending Cyclone Biparjoy, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has undertaken all precautionary measures as per the standard protocols, as a part of its monsoon contingency plan, Mumbai airport said.
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