Cyclone Biparjoy: Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Navi Mumbai Brace for Heavy Rainfall and Gusty Winds
Mumbai, 15th June 2023: Cyclone Biparjoy, the longest-lasting cyclone in history, is on track to make landfall at Jakhau port in Gujarat’s Kutch district after 4 pm today. The impact of the storm is expected to directly hit the areas of Dwarka, Porbandar, Rajkot, and Kutch. As a precautionary measure, nearly 50 thousand people residing in the coastal regions have been evacuated to safe locations.
The Meteorological Department has also issued a warning of rain accompanied by gusty winds in the Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar districts of Maharashtra as the storm moves southwestward from the Arabian Sea.
Over the past two days, strong winds have been blowing in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, with heavy rainfall occurring in Navi Mumbai and Thane on Tuesday night. Navi Mumbai also experienced heavy rain on Wednesday morning. While this is pre-monsoon rain, the weather department has attributed it to the mixed effect of Cyclone Biparjoy. As the impact of the storm may be felt in certain parts of Maharashtra, 14 units of the NDRF have been deployed in the state, with five units stationed in Mumbai. Each unit consists of 35 to 40 personnel equipped with the necessary tools for post-storm rescue operations.
Cyclone Biparjoy is currently progressing rapidly towards the Gujarat coast from the northeastern Arabian Sea. Although it has slightly slowed down, its direction has changed as it moves towards the southwest. The Director General of the Meteorological Department, Mritunjay Mohapatra, stated that the cyclone is expected to hit Kutch and Saurashtra between 4 pm and 8 pm today. He further predicted that the wind speeds could reach up to 150 km per hour during that time.
In response to the impending cyclone, the Gujarat government has evacuated over 50,000 individuals from the coastal areas to safer locations. Additionally, more than 4,000 hoardings have been dismantled in the path of the storm, and on Wednesday, the 90-meter high tower at the ‘Akashvani’ centre in Dwarka was also taken down. To ensure the safety of the affected regions, 18 units of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 12 units of the State Disaster Response Force, and several units from road, power, water, and other disaster management departments have been deployed in the coastal and storm-prone areas.
The Meteorological Department has forecasted that the impact of the cyclone will persist until June 18. From June 18 to 21, the monsoonal winds will rapidly advance alongside the cyclone and cover the entire southern region. Subsequently, as the cyclone dissipates, the seasonal winds will strengthen further. The Meteorological Department noted that if the cyclone had moved towards Oman, it would have hindered the progress of the monsoon winds. However, its movement towards the coast is expected to bring significant rainfall to some parts of the country.
To Receive Daily News Updates About The Mumbai Region, Please Click On The Following Link To Join The Mumbaikar News WhatsApp community.
