IMD: Cyclone 'Biparjoy' to make landfall in Gujarat today

The cyclone 'Biparjoy' is all set to make a landfall at Saurashtra and Kutch coasts and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by Thursday evening, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

"The very severe cyclonic storm 'Biparjoy' (pronounced as "Biporjoy") over Northeast Arabian Sea moved north-northeastward with a speed of six kmph during past six-hours and lay centered at 5:30 a.m. on June 15 over the same region near latitude 22.5 degree N and longitude 67.0 degree E, about 180 km west-southwest of Jakhau Port (Gujarat), 210 km west of Devbhumi Dwarka, 210 km west-southwest of Naliya, 290 km west-northwest of Porbandar, and 270 km south southwest of Karachi (Pakistan)," IMD said in a statement."

"It is very likely to move northeast wards and cross Saurashtra & Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by evening of June 15 as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 115-125 kmph gusting to 140 kmph," it said.

The IMD predicted that gale wind speed reaching 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph are prevailing along and off Porbandar and Devbhoomi Dwarka district coasts.

"It would gradually increase becoming gale wind speed reaching 115-125 kmph gusting to 135 kmph during June 15 afternoon to night along and off Kachchh, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh and Morbi districts," said IMD.

"Thereafter, it would decrease gradually becoming 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph over Kachchh and adjoining districts of Saurashtra and Kutch by June 16 early morning and squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph by June 16 afternoon," it added.