In Pics | Cyclone Biparjoy to hit India's west coast. All you need to know
'Biparjoy' on Thursday
The cyclone is expected to make landfall on Thursday (June 15) afternoon between Mandvi in Gujarat and Karachi in Pakistan. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday, June 12 that the cyclone is expected to have a maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 km (78-84 miles) per hour, gusting to 150 km (93 miles) per hour.
Precautionary measures in place
As a precautionary measure, fishermen in Gujarat have been advised against going to sea and those at sea have been called back. Nearly 21,000 boats have been parked on the beach so far. As per weather experts, a dozen districts in coastal Gujarat would be affected by heavy rainfall and gusty winds.
Evacuation starts
The evacuation process of nearly 2,500 - 3,000 people from the coastal areas of Saurashtra and Kutch regions of Gujarat have started. People living near the vulnerable areas in Dwarka region of the state were moved to relief shelters as a precautionary measure.
Shops closed
In light of cyclone 'Biparjoy' moving closer to India's west coast, shops were also closed and people were asked not to venture near the sea in the Kachchh area.
Rescue and relief teams in place
Ten teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and 12 of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Gujarat. Three more NDRF teams are on standby and another 15 are ready to be airlifted from other states on short notice. The government said that "rescue and relief teams of the Coast Guard, Army and Navy along with ships and aircraft have been kept ready on standby".
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