Cyclone Biparjoy: Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Kutch and Morbi districts will see the highest wind speeds.
Cyclone 'Biparjoy' has weakened to a 'very severe cyclonic storm' but has extensive damaging potential when it makes landfall on Thursday, India Meteorological Department's Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said today.
On Thursday, Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Rajkot, Junagadh and Morbi districts will see the highest wind speeds. The speed will be 125-135 kmph when the cyclone makes landfall, gusting to 145-150 kmph, said Mr Mohapatra.
The wind may lead to trees falling and branches breaking. "Loose structures may see large-scale devastation due to wind speeds of 125-135 kmph, gusting to 150 kmph. Old concrete houses and tin houses can see large-scale damage. Standing crops will also be damaged," said Mr Mohapatra.
"Up to six-metre-high tidal waves are likely to inundate low-lying areas of Saurashtra and Kutch coasts. We have recommended evacuation of the population in such areas and action is being taken," news agency PTI quoted him as saying.
The cyclone is centered around 280 km from Dwarka, the DG said, adding, "Under the influence of the outer band of the cyclone, convective clouds have already appeared in Kutch and Devbhumi Dwarka. Such convective clouds were there yesterday as well and had caused very- to very-heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of Saurashtra."
Mr Mohapatra said the cyclone began intensifying rapidly from June 6 and had turned into a 'very severe cyclonic storm' on June 7. "On the morning of June 11, it became an extremely severe cyclonic storm. This morning, it has weakened a little and turned into a very severe cyclonic storm," he added.
On Thursday morning, 'Biparjoy' will be near the Saurashtra-Kutch coast and its direct influence will begin. The DG said the IMD's prediction is that it will hit Saurashtra-Kutch and the adjoining Pakistan coast around Thursday evening as a very-severe cyclonic storm between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan), near the Jakhau port.
"Compared to the cyclone that had hit the Gujarat coast near Diu in May 2021 and had wind speeds of 180 kmph, Biparjoy's wind speed intensity will be a little less at the time of landfall," said Mr Mohapatra.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah this morning chaired a meeting of disaster management ministers of states and Union Territories. Till now, 8,000 people have been evacuated and moved to safer locations in Kutch, said Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.