New Delhi: Ahead of the landfall of cyclone Biparjoy, commercial flight operations have been suspended in Gujarat’s Jamnagar airport till Friday. The airport has also issued NOTAM for three days, from Wednesday to Friday, as part of precautionary measures, news agency ANI reported DK Singh, Director, Jamnagar Airport director, as saying.
According to the airport director, diesel and petrol required to operate the airport in case of emergency have also been stored. As per NOTAM, which means ‘Notice to Airmen’, which are issued to aircraft coming from outside, Air India and Star Air have cancelled their scheduled flights. Director DK Singh further said that there are no flights in the parking area.
Cyclone Biparjoy that is formed in the Arabian Sea along the Gujarat coast is set to make its landfall later in the day.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated in its 2 pm bulletin that the very severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy is anticipated to make landfall on the coasts of Saurashtra, Kutch, and adjoining areas of Pakistan tonight. The IMD predicted that the process of landfall would commence in the evening and continue till midnight.
As per the IMD bulletin, the cyclone is presently located 135 km west-southwest of Jakhau Port in Gujarat, 190 km west-northwest of Devbhumi Dwarka, 170 km west-southwest of Naliya, 280 km west-northwest of Porbandar, and 230 km south of Karachi, Pakistan.
During landfall, the wind speed is expected to range between 115 kmph to 125 kmph, reaching up to 140 kmph.
The Gujarat administration reported that over 94,000 individuals residing in eight coastal districts have been relocated to temporary shelters.
“The evacuated individuals include nearly 8,900 children, 1,131 pregnant women, and 4,697 elderly persons. A total of 1,521 shelter homes have been established in these eight districts. Medical teams are regularly visiting the shelters”, according to a release issued by the Gujarat government.