Satellite image taken on Friday shows the location of Cyclone Biparjoy in the Arabian Sea. Fishing boats anchored at Badhwar Park jetty due to the formation of a depression over the southeast Arabian Sea, in Mumbai (Image: PTI)
The first cyclone in the Arabian Sea this year–‘Biparjoy’– has been named by Bangladesh. The name means “disaster” or “calamity” in Bengali
The very severe cyclonic storm ‘Biparjoy’ is expected to intensify further on Saturday and move nearly north-northeastwards over the course of two days, the India Meteorological Department said. The weather agency also said that the Southwest monsoon is likely to advance into the remaining parts of Kerala and additional areas of the southern peninsula within the next two days.
“The very severe cyclonic storm ‘Biparjoy’ (pronounced ‘Biporjoy’) over east central Arabian Sea moved nearly northeastward with a speed of 13 kmph during past six hours and lay centred at 2.30 p.m. on June 9 over the same region near latitude 15.3 degrees North and longitude 66.9 degrees East, about 740 km west of Goa, 750 km west-southwest of Mumbai, 760 km south-southwest of Porbandar and 1,070 km south of Karachi,” the IMD said in a statement on Friday.
“It would intensify further gradually during next 36 hours and move nearly north-northeast wards during next 48 hours and north-northwestwards during subsequent three days,” it added.
Top Points About Cyclone ‘Biparjoy’
â–¶The first cyclone in the Arabian Sea this year-‘Biparjoy’- has been named by Bangladesh. The name means “disaster” or “calamity” in Bengali.
â–¶In anticipation of Cyclone Biparjoy, high waves have been observed at Tithal Beach in Valsad on the Arabian Sea coast. As a precautionary measure, Tithal Beach has been closed to tourists until June 14.
▶As ‘Biparjoy’ is headed northwards and remained centred about 900 km south-southwest of Gujarat’s coastal Porbandar district, fishermen have been asked to return to the coast from deep sea areas and ports instructed to hoist Distant Warning signal (DW II).
â–¶As the cyclone would bring light rains and thunderstorms in coastal regions, all ports, in accordance with international procedure, are advised to hoist “signals” whenever adverse weather is expected over them in oceanic areas. The step seeks to alert vessels and ensure the safety of maritime activities.
▶The IMD also advised fishermen not to venture into the seas off the coast of Kerala, Karnataka, and Lakshadweep.
▶A yellow alert was issued for eight districts in Kerala on Friday. The districts where the yellow alert is issued are Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Kozhikode, and Kannur.
▶The cyclone is also expected to bring light showers and thunderstorms to coastal regions of Gujarat.
â–¶The cyclone may reach South Gujarat on Sunday or Monday and therefore the state administration is on alert mode and all officials were advised not to leave the headquarter. “The SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) teams have been kept on standby mode while people of the coastal village had been alerted. If needed, they were told, they will have to be shifted to safer places,” Surat’s Collector BK Vasava told Indian Express.
â–¶The IMD further predicted that along and of the Saurashtra and Kutch coasts, squally wind speed, reaching 35-45 kmph and gusting to 55 kmph, is likely to prevail on June 10 and likely to increase to 40-50 kmph and gusting to 60 kmph on June 11, 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph during June 12, and 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph June 13 and 14.
â–¶On the monsoon, the IMD said: “In the coming 24 hours, the monsoon is expected to progress into more regions of the central Arabian Sea, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and additional areas of southwest, central, and northeast Bay of Bengal. It is also predicted to reach the remaining parts of Kerala, followed by the northeastern states and certain parts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim in the subsequent two days.”
