Cyclone Biparjoy: Nearly 50,000 people have been shifted to safer places in Gujarat as joint teams of state government, Army, Navy and Indian Coast Guard carry out massive evacuation in view of Cyclone Biparjoy. The powerful cyclone that is expected to make landfall on Thursday (June 15) evening near Gujarat's Jakhu port in Kutch district and adjoining Pakistan coastline has brought back memories of the 1998 super cyclone that wreacked havoc in Gujarat. According to some reports, at least 10,000 people were killed. However, official data had put the death toll to 1173, and 1174 missing.
What does Biparjoy mean?
The name 'Biparjoy' (pronounced Biporjoy in Bangla) was given by Bangladesh. The word means 'disaster' or 'calamity'.
Worldwide, there are six regional specialised meteorological centres (RSMCs) and five regional Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs) mandated for issuing advisories and naming of tropical cyclones.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) is one of the six RSMCs to provide tropical cyclone and storm surge advisories to 13 member countries under WMO/ESCAP Panel including Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. RSMC, New Delhi is also mandated to name the tropical cyclones developing over the north Indian Ocean including the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
In April 2020, the IMD compiled a new list of 169 cyclone names with country suggesting 13 names. The first lot of 13 names has been exhausted. Biparjoy is the first names in the second lot and the next cyclone in region will be named 'Tej' - suggested by India.
Biparjoy: Latest position
According to IMD's latest bulleting, Cyclone Biparjoy is barrelling towards Gujarat coast and is expected to hit Saurashtra-Kutch region near Jhakhau Port. The region is already witnessing heavy rains and strong winds since Tuesday.The wind speed will gradually increase to 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph on Thursday along and off the districts of Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh and Morbi, the weather department said
"The cyclone is nearly 290 km away from Kutch at present. As a precautionary measure, we have already shifted nearly 50,000 people living in coastal areas to temporary shelters. The evacuation process is still on and the remaining 5,000 persons will be shifted by this evening to safer places" said State Commissioner of Relief, Alok Kumar Pandey said.
A war-scale relief and rescue operation is already underway with 18 NDRF teams, 12 SDRF teams, 115 teams of state road and building department, and 397 teams of the state electricity department been deployed in different coastal districts. Several columns of Army and Navy teams are also assisting in shifting people to safer places.
(With inputs from agencies)
