Porbandar: The extremely severe cyclonic storm ‘Cyclone Biparjoy’ weakened on Tuesday, but still posed a threat to Gujarat and other coastal areas of India. The storm weakened from a category 4 cyclone to a category 3 cyclone, with wind speeds of up to 185 kilometers per hour.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that Cyclone Biparjoy is likely to make landfall in Gujarat on Wednesday morning. The storm is expected to bring heavy rains and strong winds to Gujarat, as well as to the states of Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka.
The IMD is closely monitoring the situation and will issue further updates as needed. “Cyclone Warning for Saurashtra and Kutch Coasts: Orange message. VSCS Biparjoy at 0530 IST of today about 300KM WSW of Porbandar, 290 Km SW of Devbhumi Dwarka, 340 Km SSW of Jakhau Pot, 350 KM SSW of Naliya”, tweeted IMD.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is also on standby to assist in relief and rescue operations. The NDRF has deployed 10 teams in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka.
The government has also announced a relief package of ₹100 crore for the affected states. The package will be used to provide food, shelter, and medical assistance to those who have been affected by the cyclone.
Cyclone Biparjoy is the first major cyclone to hit India in the 2023 season. The IMD has forecast that the cyclone season will be more active than usual this year.
The weakening of Cyclone Biparjoy is a relief to many people, but the storm is still a threat to coastal areas of India. People in affected areas should take precautions and be prepared for the storm’s arrival.