Cyclone Biparjoy weakened into "very severe cyclonic storm", the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said earlier on Tuesday. The cyclone is likely to cross near Jakhau Port in Gujarat by the evening of June 15. Meanwhile, the IMD has sounded orange alert in parts of Gujarat on June 14 and red alert on June 15.

"ESCS BIPARJOY weakened into VSCS and lay at 2330IST today, about 310km SW of Porbandar, 320km SW of Devbhumi Dwarka, 380km SSW of Jakhau Port. To cross near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by evening of 15th June as VSCS," the IMD said in a tweet on Tuesday.

Follow Cyclone Biparjoy LIVE updates here

In the wake of the cyclone, an orange alert has been sounded in Saurashtra and Kutch coast in Gujarat, with heavy rainfall likely in Amreli, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Junagarh, Morbi, and Kutch. Light to moderate rainfall is predicted in other parts of the state.

Cyclone Biparjoy landfall in Gujarat's Kutch

Cyclone Biparjoy is now likely to make landfall between Mandvi in Gujarat and Karachi in Pakistan - near the Jakhau port in the Kutch district - on Thursday this week. "The cyclone is likely to make landfall near the Jakhau port. It will hit Gujarat coast around noon on June 15. It will be preceded by winds with speeds of 135-145 kmph gusting to 150 kmph and extremely heavy rainfall," said IMD Ahmedabad centre director Manorama Mohanty.

Gujarat evacuation

The preparations to deal with the cyclone are in full swing in Gujarat and Pakistan. Three people, including two children, were killed in Gujarat, while several trees were uprooted due to fierce winds.

The Border Security Force (BSF) ordered the 'safe positioning' of its marine wing assets and personnel along the Gujarat front in the wake of Cyclone 'Biparjoy', officials were quoted by PTI as saying.

#WRUpdates #CycloneBiparjoyUpdate

The following trains will be Cancelled, Short-Terminated/Originate. pic.twitter.com/OJvDGeWkIb— Western Railway (@WesternRly) June 12, 2023

Authorities have already moved 7,500 people to safer places and put in place an elaborate evacuation plan in Gujarat. More than 3,000 people were evacuated from 31 villages in Porbandar, while in Devbhumi Dwarka, more than 1,500 people were shifted to safer places, they informed.

Meanwhile, the Indian Coast Guard said all 50 personnel were evacuated Tuesday morning from jack-up rig 'Key Singapore' operating off Dwarka coast near Okha in Gujarat.

Updates on ESCS #CycloneBiparjoy

In a nerve-racking mission, @IndiaCoastGuard Ship Shoor & ALH Mk-III (CG 858) augmented for evacuation of 50 personnel from Jack up rig “Key Singapore” off #Okha, #Gujarat. All 50 crew (26 crew on 12th Jun and 24 crew today) evacuated safely. pic.twitter.com/JYbTsn8GbJ— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) June 13, 2023

In New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed officials to ensure safe evacuation of people living in vulnerable locations in the path of the cyclone that was likely to make landfall on Thursday afternoon and will be preceded by extremely heavy rainfall.

Train services affected

CPRO Western Railways confirmed that 67 trains have been cancelled. The Western Railway also short-terminated more than 50 trains "heading to coastal areas of Gujarat on Monday in view of powerful cyclone 'Biparjoy' and is considering cancellation of several trains over the next three days," a release said.

"As many as 56 trains heading to Gandhidham, Veraval, Okha, Porbandar in coastal Gujarat have been short-terminated at Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Surendranagar. Around 95 trains are being proposed for cancellation between June 13 to June 15," the release was quoted by PTI as saying.

Check of all the trains cancelled, short-terminated here:

#WRUpdates #CycloneBiparjoyUpdate

The following trains will be Cancelled, Short-Terminated/Originate. pic.twitter.com/OJvDGeWkIb— Western Railway (@WesternRly) June 12, 2023

Meanwhile, the cyclonic storm is likely to enter southwest Rajasthan on June 16. Amid the warning, the North Western Railway (NWR) has cancelled some train services there. According to an official, the services of five trains operating on the NWR have been cancelled from the originating station, while the services of nine trains have been partially cancelled.

"Keeping in view the safety and security in view of the cyclonic storm Biprajoy in the Bay of Bengal, train services are being cancelled/partially cancelled by the Railways," the NWR said in a statement.

Radheshyam Sharma, in-charge of the Jaipur Meteorological Centre, was quoted by PTI as saying that the cyclonic storm Biparjoy is likely to weaken and enter south-western Rajasthan as a depression on June 16.

Due to the effect of the storm, the activities of thunderstorms and rain are likely to start in the districts of Jodhpur and Udaipur divisions only after the afternoon of June 15, he said. Moreover, "due to its effect on June 16, there is a possibility of heavy rains at some places in Jodhpur and Udaipur," Sharma added.

Gujarat weather update

> Heavy Rainfall warning for Gujarat (Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh and Morbi districts)

> Light to moderate rainfall at many places in coastal districts of Saurashtra and Kutch with isolated heavy rainfall on June 13.

> Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh and Morbi districts of Saurashtra and Kutch on June 14.

> The intensity of rainfall would increase with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy falls at isolated places very likely over Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka & Jamnagar and heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places over Porbandar, Rajkot, Morbi and Junagarh districts of Gujarat on June 15.

> Isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over remaining districts of Saurashtra and north Gujarat region on June 15.

> Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over north Gujarat and adjoining south Rajasthan on June 16.

Yellow alert in Kerala

Kerala is expected to receive heavy rainfall in the next few days as Cyclone Biparjoy is located over the central-eastern Arabian Sea. There is also a possibility of widespread thundershowers in the next five days. A yellow alert has been announced in various districts of the state on Tuesday and Wednesday.

(With inputs from agencies and News 18)

First Published:Jun 13, 2023 8:58 AM IST