OBSERVED AND FORECAST TRACK ALONGWITH QUADRANT WIND DISTRIBUTION OF VERY SEVERE CYCLONIC STORM “BIPARJOY” OVER NORTHEAST ARABIAN SEA BASED ON 1200 UTC (1730 IST) OF 13TH JUNE 2023.
New Delhi/Ahmedabad/Okha: Even before its landfall that is expected by the evening of June 15, 2023, severe cyclone Biparjoy claimed the lives of two children in Kutch when a wall collapsed due to heavy winds, and a woman when a tree fell on her in Rajkot, today.
Biparjoy is expected to move north-northeastwards and cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by the evening of June 15as a very severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph.
“So far, various district administrations have shifted nearly 30,000 people to temporary shelters,” Gujarat’s Releif Commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey said. He informed that the state government was aiming to evacuate people within 10 km of the coast.
Today, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) evacuated 50 lives at Okha, Gujarat as a preventive measure against severe cyclone ‘Biparjoy’. The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) had yesterday requested Indian Coast Guard (ICG) for the evacuation of 50 crew from jack-up rig ‘KEY SINGAPORE/01’ located 25 nautical miles west of Okha, Gujarat.
On receipt of the request, ICG initiated the operation for the safe evacuation of all 50 crews onboard the rig in rough weather and high seas. ICG Ship Shoor was diverted immediately for rescue operations. Meanwhile, ICG Helicopter (CG 858) was also positioned from Rajkot to Okha for evacuation.
In a nerve-racking operation, ICG evacuated 26 crew by the evening of June 12, 2023. Consequently, the operation resumed with the first light on June 13, 2023, which resulted in the safe evacuation of the remaining 24 crew, bringing all 50 crew to safety ashore. The operation was completed successfully.
The cyclone Biparjoy (Extremely severe cyclonic storm) has been noticed forming in the Arabian Sea from June 6, 2023. ICG has been undertaking pre-emptive and preventive measures at sea.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel, apprised the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, about the preparedness and measures being taken by the local administration to protect the population residing in the expected path of the cyclonic storm. He said a total of 21,595 boats, 27 ships and 24 large ships have been parked so far. A list of sensitive villages has been prepared for the purpose of evacuation. Patel informed that 450 hospitals have been identified in the areas likely to be affected by the storm and the supply of essential medicines has been ensured. Adequate shelters have also been arranged and 597 teams have been deployed to ensure power supply. 18 teams of NDRF and 12 teams of SDRF have also been deployed.
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, too reviewed the preparedness measures being taken by the Centre and Gujarat state administration on cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ with Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Ganeshbhai Patel, in Bhuj today. Dr Mandaviya informed six multi-disciplinary Central Quick Response Medical Teams [pooled in from Dr RML Hospital, New Delhi; LHMC, New Delhi; Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi; AIIMS (New Delhi); AIIMS (Jodhpur) and AIIMS (Nagpur)] are kept ready to be mobilised in the event of any requirements for the same for providing emergency care and services. Besides, teams from NIMHANS, Bengaluru are also on standby to provide psychosocial care and aid to any affected population.
The Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) in all States have been tasked to conduct post-disaster disease surveillance through the State/district surveillance units for timely detection of any disease outbreak of any epidemic-prone diseases in the aftermath of the cyclone. In case of any logistic requirement by the States, HLL Lifecare Ltd. has been tasked with supply of the same.
In New Delhi, R.K. Singh, Union Power Minister, today held a meeting with senior officers of the Ministry of Power, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Grid Controller of India and PGCIL for reviewing the preparations for maintenance of power supply in coastal areas of Gujarat and Rajasthan which are likely to be affected by Cyclone ‘Biparjoy‘. He also discussed various necessary arrangements with the Power Minister of Gujarat on the phone. He said POWERGRID was closely monitoring the weather conditions and its transmission system regularly and 24X7 control rooms had been set up at Manesar and Vadodara.
The National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC) is also continuously monitoring grid supply in these States for monitoring variations in load or generation and to take timely action to ensure stable operation of the Grid and also for alternative supply through other transmission lines in the best possible manner. NLDC has also identified the power generating stations, transmission lines and sub-stations which might get affected and has already prepared a detailed contingency plan to deal with every likely situation.
– global bihari bureau
