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 forecasted that the process of landfall would commence in the evening and continue until 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.
Among the evacuated population, approximately 46,800 were shifted from the Kutch district, followed by 10,749 in Devbhumi Dwarka, 9,942 in Jamnagar, 9,243 in Morbi, 6,822 in Rajkot, 4,864 in Junagadh, 4,379 in Porbandar, and 1,605 in Gir Somnath district, according to a release by the Gujarat government.
The release stated, "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." Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visited the State Emergency Operations Centre in Gandhinagar in the morning and conducted a meeting with top officials to assess the situation and review relief measures, the release added.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) announced that five people have already lost their lives prior to the landfall.
NDRF, in collaboration with the state government, has deployed 18 teams primarily in Kutch. The organisation stated, "Five people have already lost their lives before the cyclone made landfall. Some houses in Jamnagar were damaged."
NDRF indicated that teams have been stationed in the northern and southern regions.
"There are 2 teams in Rajkot and 1 team in Jamnagar, along with 4 to 5 reserve teams at different locations," they noted.
"The destruction of houses at a rapid pace is the biggest challenge during a cyclone. A surge of 3 to 6 meters can occur, significantly affecting normal life. The focus is on swift restoration to minimize loss of life. The target is zero loss of life," NDRF emphasized.
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