Cyclone Biparjoy turns into 'very severe' cyclonic storm, says IMD

"It is very likely to move nearly northwards till Wednesday morning, then move north-northeast wards and cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts," IMD added

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday said that cyclone Biparjoy has turned from extreme to a 'very severe' cyclonic storm and will cross the Jakhau Port in Gujarat by Thursday evening, although an 'orange' alert is still in effect for the state's Saurashtra and Kutch coasts.

"The very severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy over northeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph during past six-hours and lay centred at 5.30 a.m on Tuesday over northeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea near latitude 20.6N and longitude 67.0E, about 300 km west-southwest of Porbandar, 290 km southwest of Devbhumi Dwarka, 340 km south-southwest of Jakhau Port, 350 km south-southwest of Naliya and 480 km south of Karachi (Pakistan)," the IMD said in a statement.

"It is very likely to move nearly northwards till Wednesday morning, then move north-northeast wards and cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi near Jakhau Port by Thursday evening as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph," it added.

The IMD predicted that along and off the districts of Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh and Morbi, as well as the Gulf of Kutch, squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph will prevail and likely to continue for next 24 hours.

"It would increase, becoming gale wind speed reaching 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph from Wednesday morning along and off Porbandar and Devbhoomi Dwarka district coasts. It would become 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph from Thursday morning for subsequent 12 hours along and off Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh and Morbi districts," said the IMD.

"Thereafter it would decrease gradually becoming 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph over north Gujarat and adjoining south Rajasthan from Friday morning to evening. Squally wind speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph very likely to prevail along and off remaining districts Saurashtra coast on Wednesday and Thursday, and 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph on Friday morning to evening."

The IMD further predicted that damage is expected over Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Morbi, Junagarh and Rajkot districts on Thursday.

--IANS

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