Cyclone Biparjoy: IMD warns of flood, power disruption; trains cancelled

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded a storm surge warning for the coastal areas of Gujarat in view of very severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy, saying it is likely to inundate the low-lying areas of Kachchh, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar and Morbi districts.

While Biparjoy lost some of its intensity to become a very severe cyclone, experts warned that it could pick up the pace again and cause colossal devastation in Gujarat by triggering gigantic storm surges.

Major damage expected
As Biparjoy prepares to make landfall between Gujarat’s Mandvi and Pakistan’s port city of Karachi on June 15, the Met department said total destruction of thatched houses and extensive damage to kutcha houses are expected in Kachchh, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Morbi, Junagarh and Rajkot districts. The very severe cyclonic storm can uproot power and communication poles in these areas and disrupt railways and damage standing crops, plantations and orchards.

Cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ (pronounced as “Biporjoy”) lay centred over the Northeast Arabian Sea about 290 km southwest of Gujarat’s Jakhau Port, 300 km west-southwest of Devbhumi Dwarka, 310 km west-southwest of Naliya, 350 km west of Porbandar, and 370 km south-southwest of Karachi, Pakistan. The very severe cyclonic storm is likely to move nearly north-northeastwards and cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi and Karachi near Jakhau Port by June 15 evening with a maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph.

Rain forecast

The cyclone system is expected to bring light to moderate rainfall today at most places in the coastal areas of Gujarat with heavy to very heavy rainfall and extremely heavy falls at isolated places. The rainfall intensity would increase with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy falls at isolated places very likely over Kachchh, Devbhumi Dwarka and Jamnagar on June 15. Some parts of the Porbandar, Rajkot, Morbi and Junagarh districts are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on June 15 while heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over isolated places in districts of Saurashtra and north Gujarat region.

Dozens of trains cancelled

Around 95 trains running through, originating or terminating in coastal areas of Gujarat will remain cancelled or short-terminated till June 15, according to Western Railway.

Here’s the list of cancelled trains

22955 Bandra Terminus – Bhuj Kutch Express
20907 Dadar – Bhuj Express
09480 Okha – Rajkot Unreserved Special (Daily)
09479 Rajkot – Okha Unreserved Special (Daily)
19251 Veraval – Okha Express
19252 Okha – Veraval Express
09523 Okha – Delhi Sarai Rohilla Special
19209 Bhavnagar Terminus – Okha Express
19210 Okha – Bhavnagar Terminus Express
09522 Veraval – Rajkot Express
09521 Rajkot – Veraval Express
22957 Ahmedabad – Veraval
22958 Veraval – Ahmedabad
19119 Ahmedabad – Veraval Intercity
19120 Veraval – Ahmedabad Intercity
19207 Porbandar -Veraval Express
19208 Veraval – Porbandar Express
09513 Rajkot – Veraval
09514 Veraval – Rajkot
19320 Indore-Veraval Mahamana
09550 Porbandar – Bhanvad
09549 Bhanvad – Porbandar
09515 Kanalus – Porbandar Special
09551 Bhanvad – Porbandar Express
09516 Porbandar – Kanalus Special
09552 Porbandar – Bhaunra Express
09595 Rajkot – Porbandar Special
09596 Porbandar – Rajkot Special
20937 Porbandar – Delhi Sarai Rohilla Express
22483 Jodhpur – Gandhidham Express
22484 Gandhidham – Jodhpur Express
19571 Rajkot – Porbandar Express
19572 Porbandar – Rajkot Express
20908 Bhuj – Dadar Express
19405 Palanpur – Gandhidham Express
19406 Gandhidham – Palanpur Express
22956 Bhuj – Bandra Terminus Kutch Express
20927 Palanpur – Bhuj SF Express
20928 Bhuj – Palanpur SF Express
09505 Veraval – Amreli
09540 Junagadh – Amreli
09295 Veraval – Delvada Special
09531 Delvada – Junagadh Special
09291 Veraval – Amreli
09508 Amreli – Veraval
09539 Amreli – Junagadh
09292 Amreli – Veraval
09532 Junagadh – Delvada Special
09296 Delvada – Veraval Special
09456 Bhuj – Sabarmati Special
22959 Vadodara – Jamnagar Superfast Intercity
19202 Porbandar – Secunderabad
11463/65 Veraval – Jabalpur