IMD warns of extensive damage in three Gujarat districts from cyclone Biparjoy
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday warned that Cyclone Biparjoy could cause severe damage in Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka and Jamnagar districts of Gujarat, that it is likely to cross Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat and neighboring Pakistani coasts between Mandvi in Gujarat and Karachi in Pakistan near from Jakau Port (Gujarat) around the evening of June 15th as a very intense cyclonic storm with maximum sustained winds of 125-150 km/h.
Biparjoy though weak From a “very severe typhoon” to a “very severe typhoon” on Tuesday, its damaging potential could be wide-ranging, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told reporters at a briefing.
We wouldn’t be surprised if these areas recorded more than 25 cm of precipitation. Normally, they do not receive such heavy rains at this time of the year. Therefore, there is a risk of flooding in low-lying areas.
The IMD bulletin said the cyclone could bring very heavy rains (more than 20 cm) to isolated places in Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar and Porbandar districts from June 13 to 15.
Infrared damage and crops
While winds of up to 145 kmph were forecast for all these districts on June 15, Rajkot, Morbi and Junagarh may receive heavy to very heavy rains, which can cause severe damage to homes, roads, electricity and telecom poles.
As the Khareef sowing has not started yet, there is no danger to the crops, except in some places where cotton has been grown. Of the about 86 hectares of natural area for all crops for the fall season, about 1.74 liters of cotton and about 65,000 hectares were covered under groundnut as of June 12 this year.
Sowing areas in Rajkot totaled 27,800 hectares as of Monday. 24,200 hectares in Morbi; 10,300 hectares in Junagadh; 1,900 hectares in Dwarka; 9,500 hectares in Jamnagar; and 13,000 hectares in Porbandar.
High tidal waves
Mohapatra said the IMD is expecting tsunamis of up to six meters in the coasts of Saurashtra and Kutch, which are likely to flood low-lying areas in the regions. It is believed that the state government is evacuating vulnerable residents from those areas to safer places.
The IMD has recommended a complete suspension of all activities at sea – oil exploration, ship traffic and fishing – until June 15 as waves can reach 10 to 14 meters in the northeast and adjacent central Arabian Sea. Biparjoy is on its way to getting the longest lifespan in the Arabian Sea as it developed on June 6th.
The severe Cyclone Kyarr of 2019 over the Arabian Sea lasted for nine days and 15 hours. There was a 52 percent increase in the number of cyclones in the Arabian Sea, while extremely intense cyclones increased by 150 percent.