Cyclone Biparjoy: Six districts of Saurashtra-Kutch on high alert

Six coastal districts of Saurashtra-Kutch were put on high alert as the severe cyclonic storm 'Biparjoy' intensified into an "extremely severe cyclonic storm" and altered is course on Sunday with likely landfall between Kutch and Karachi in Pakistan on June 15.
According to the weather department Kutch, Jamnagar, Morbi, Gir Somnath, Porbandar, and Devbhumi Dwarka districts are likely to be impacted by the cyclone with heavy rainfall and very high wind speed during June 13-15 which may go up to 150 kmph.
In wake of the cyclone, about 1,500 people living on the sea coast were shifted to shelter homes for safety. Fishermen in the coastal areas were warned against venturing into the sea till June 15.

Devbhoomi Dwarka district collector Ashok Sharma said that holiday had been declared till June 15 in all schools of the district. "The weather department has forecast that from June 13 to 15 the wind speed in Devbhoomi Dwarka could reach up to 125kmph. There is forecast of heavy to very heavy rain too. We have taken all precautions in wake of the development," said Sharma.
Mandvi beach in Kutch and Shivrajpur beach in Devbhoomi Dwarka have been closed for public. The district administration also suspended the Okha-Beyt Dwarka boat service. District officials said that business in market yards in the coastal districts have been suspended. There will be not trade for the next couple of days.
Kutch district collector Amit Arora said that about 8,300 people in 72 village have been alerted. "These villages are in Gandhidham, Mandvi, Abdasa, Lakhpat talukas of Kutch. These people live within 5km radius of the sea. One SDRF team is deputed in Naliya and we will get two teams of NDRF which will be deputed in Mandvi and Gandhidham," Arora said. Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Devbhoomi Dwarka and Gir Somnath districts. More teams are likely to be deployed in Jamnagar, Morbi and Kutch district over the next two days, said district administration.
While the school enrolment drive that was to start on Monday has been suspended in Devbhoomi Dwarka, Porbandar, Kutch, Morbi and Jamnagar districts, it has been cut short to two days in other Saurashtra districts. Under the influence of the cyclone, sea was rough and waves up to 20 feet high were seen at Gomtighat, Chorwad and other parts of Saurashtra. In Gir Somnath, the beach was closed for public.