The Union Home Ministry in India has advised states to suspend fishing operations in the east-central and adjoining west-central Arabian Sea, as well as the northeast Arabian Sea until June 15. This is due to an extremely severe cyclonic storm named “Biparjoy”, which has been moving northwards at a speed of 7 kmph over the past six hours. The storm is currently centered at approximately 320 km southwest of Porbandar, 360 km south-southwest of Devbhumi Dwarka, 440 km south of Jakhau Port, 440 km south-southwest of Naliya, and 620 km south of Karachi (Pakistan).
The Home Ministry’s Disaster Management Division has issued an advisory warning for Kerala, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Lakshadweep, and Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli to take precautions and keep a close eye on the situation. District authorities in affected areas should monitor their areas, and fishermen in Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh, and Morbi districts have been advised to return to shore.
The Indian Meteorological Department has also issued an orange alert for Saurashtra and Kutch coasts in Gujarat due to Biparjoy over the east-central and adjoining northeast Arabian Sea. A warning of storm surge has been released in Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, and Morbi districts of Gujarat, stating that a storm surge of about 2-3 m above the astronomical tide is likely to inundate the low lying areas of those districts during the time of landfall.
The cyclone is very likely to move northward until June 14 morning, then move north-northeastwards and cross Saurashtra & Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by noon of June 15 as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph. The weather office has cautioned about bending and uprooting of power and communication poles, major damage to kutcha and pucca roads, flooding of escape routes, minor disruption of railways and overhead power lines and signaling systems.
Visibility may also be severely affected due to salt spray, with widespread damage to standing crops and plantations, falling of green coconuts and tearing of palm fronds. Small boats and country crafts may get detached from moorings. Fishermen have also been issued an advisory for the next five days, advising those out at sea to return to the coast.
The IMD has released information about squally wind speeds and sea conditions, with rough to very rough seas expected until June 14 evening, and high to phenomenal thereafter until June 15 noon. The sea conditions are expected to improve after June 15.
