Cyclone Biparjoy – live: Two dead and nearly 1000 villages without power as storm weakens

A man and his son died in India’s Gujarat state as they attempted to save their livestock in the region hit by cyclone Biparjoy, officials said today.

The longest cyclone to have struck the Arabian Sea, Biparjoy knocked out power in nearly 1000 villages and threw shipping containers into the sea in western India before moving to Pakistan where lashing winds and rain are expected to strike a part struck by devastating floods last year.

The storm made landfall a night earlier, packing windspeeds of 85 kph (53 mph), gusting up to 105 kph (86 mph) through the coastal regions of western India’s Gujarat state. Pakistani authorities were on high alert after evacuating 82,000 people.

The eye of the cyclone, which was churning across the Arabian Sea for more than 10 days, was located around 20km southwest of Jakhau port, 120km northwest of Devbhumi Dwarka and 50 km west-southwest of Naliya, reported Press Trust of India.

Recent studies show cyclones in the Arabian Sea are getting stronger and wetter as the sea surface temperature increased by 1.2C to 1.4C in recent decades.

Key Points

• Cyclone Biparjoy’s landfall completed after midnight along Indian coast

• Cyclone Biparjoy lashes Indian coast, weakens into cyclonic storm

• Over 180,000 people evacuated ahead of cyclone Biparjoy landfall

• Cyclone Biparjoy track: Map shows path of storm

• Flooding may damage homes and power lines, experts warn

• What is a Cyclone and how is it affected by rising sea temperatures?

How far is cyclone Biparjoy from India and Pakistan?

Thursday 15 June 2023 06:01 , Stuti Mishra

Tropical cyclone Biparjoy is now just a few hours away from the coast of India and Pakistan and has already brought high tides, heavy rains and gusts of winds to the South Asian countries.

The severe cyclonic storm was last spotted just 180km from the Jakhau port of India’s Gujarat province this morning and 270km off Karachi in Pakistan, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The storm, which has lost some intensity in the last 24 hours, is set to make a landfall this evening around 5.30pm at the port, according to the IMD.

It is moving with a maximum sustained wind speed of 115-125kph gusting to 140 kph, down from the 150kph that the IMD had estimated yesterday.

When will cyclone Biparjoy make landfall in India?

Thursday 15 June 2023 06:30 , Stuti Mishra

Cyclone Biparjoy is forecasted to make landfall around 5.30pm local time in India's Jakhau port in the Kutch region of Gujarat province.

While the storm has lost some intensity ahead of its landfall, it is still a “very severe cyclonic storm” with a sustained wind speed of 125 to 135kph.

On the path of the storm lies India’s key ports and coastal infrastructure in Gujarat and the densely populated city of Karachi in Pakistan.

Its impact, however, is felt as far away as Mumbai which has been witnessing terrifyingly high tides with three deaths reported by drowning.

Over 100,000 people evacuated ahead of cyclone Biparjoy landfall

Thursday 15 June 2023 07:00 , Stuti Mishra

India and Pakistan have evacuated over 100,000 people as cyclone Biparjoy is set to make landfall later today.

The cyclone has already brought high tides, heavy winds and heavy rains to both countries, posing danger to coastal regions.

Four deaths have already been reported in India, included three boys from Mumbai who drowned in water and a woman in Gujarat who met an accident due to heavy winds.

Communities living within 5-10kms of the coast were moved to higher lands in Gujarat, officials say.

“Over 47,000 people have been evacuated from coastal and low-lying areas to shelter,” said C C Patel, an official in charge of relief operations in Gujarat.

Pakistan’s climate change minister, Sherry Rehman, said yesterday that 62,000 people had been evacuated from the country’s south-eastern coast, with 75 relief camps set up at schools and colleges.

Satellite footage shows cyclone Biparjoy whirling towards India and Pakistan

Thursday 15 June 2023 07:30 , Stuti Mishra

Footage from the Meteosat-9 satellite shows cyclone Biparjoy inching closer to the South Asian countries.

Watch: High tide and strong winds witnessed as ‘Biparjoy’ approaches India coast

Thursday 15 June 2023 08:00 , Stuti Mishra

Watch: Thousands of people evacuated in India ahead of cyclone Biparjoy

Thursday 15 June 2023 08:23 , Stuti Mishra

Over 47,000 people evacuated from the coastal and low-lying areas in India’s Gujarat ahead of Cyclone Biparjoy.

Astronaut captures formation of cyclone Biparjoy from space

Thursday 15 June 2023 08:40 , Stuti Mishra

Stunning footage captured and shared by astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi from space shows the formation of cyclone Biparjoy in the Arabian Sea last week.

Watch: Heavy rains lash Gujarat's coastal towns as cyclone Biparjoy inches closer

Thursday 15 June 2023 09:00 , Stuti Mishra

Video shared by Indian news agency ANI shows heavy rains lashing Gujarat's Morbi town as cyclone Biparjoy comes closer.

The very severe cyclone was just 170kms from the Jakhua Port in the province this morning. The cyclone is expected to make landfall by 5.30pm with weather department warnings for more severe rains ahead.

Videos show devastating winds in Gujarat

Thursday 15 June 2023 09:24 , Stuti Mishra

Videos posted by residents on social media show devastating winds hitting the Gujarat province where cyclone Biparjoy is set to make landfall this evening.

A footage from Okha town of Dev Bhoomi Dwarka district shared on Twitter shows a massive tree uprooted as gusts of winds cause reduced visibility.

Another video shows a tin roof flying over amid gusts with wind gales heard in the background.

Earlier video showed high tides almost entirely submerging a bridge in Gujarat.

Cyclone Biparjoy track: Map shows path of storm

Thursday 15 June 2023 09:40 , Stuti Mishra

Cyclone Bipayjoy is now less than 170kms away from the coast of India and Pakistan as the countries brace for landfall today.

This map from Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) shows the last spotted location of the very severe cyclonic storm this morning.

It is expected to reach India's Jakhau port by 5.30pm local time with a maximum sustained wind speed of 115-125kph gusting to 140 kph.

What is a Cyclone and how is affected by rising sea temperatures?

Thursday 15 June 2023 10:00 , Stuti Mishra

As cyclone Biparjoy bears down on the Arabian Sea, posing dangers to highly populated cities in India, scientists are pointing out how higher temperatures in the oceans are leading to more devastating storms.

What is a cyclone?

A cyclone, also known as a hurricane or typhoon in different regions, is a powerful tropical storm with strong rotating winds that forms when low pressure is created in the oceans near the equator.

Cyclones are fuelled by warm ocean temperatures, which provide the energy necessary for their development and intensification.

These severe storms can cause heavy rainfall, high tides and gusts of winds in the nearby regions as they pass causing extensive damage to infrastructure, homes, and pose risks to human lives.

How cyclones are getting stronger due to climate crisis?

Typically an ocean temperature above 27C is required to sustain a tropical cyclone. As the world continues to warm due to greenhouse gas emissions mainly from fossil fuels, the oceans are getting warmer too.

Various scientific assessments, including from the United Nations' top climate body the IPCC, find that warmer oceans not just make development of cyclones more likely, they also make these storms slow moving, making them more intense.

A slow moving cyclone results in longer duration of rainfall and winds, causing more damage.

As sea surface temperatures in the Arabian Sea have increased by 1.2C to 1.4C in recent decades, studies have shown that cyclones in this region are becoming stronger and wetter.

More than 150,000 evacuated in India and Pakistan so far

Thursday 15 June 2023 10:25 , Stuti Mishra

The number of evacuees from India and Pakistan has risen up to 150,000 as cyclone Biparjoy inched very close to the coastlines of South Asian nations.

Over 94,000 people have been moved out from coastal areas in India alone to shelters, while authorities in Pakistan’s Sindh said over 81,000 people were evacuated from the south-eastern coast to 75 relief camps at schools.

This number is expected to rise further as authorities assess the dangers posed by the cyclone as it inches closer.

Four deaths have already been reported in India (see post below) from extreme weather brought on by the cyclone while rainfall has been wreaking havoc in Pakistan for days killing dozens.

In Pictures: Clouds and rains intensify as cyclone inches close

Thursday 15 June 2023 10:43 , Stuti Mishra

Cyclone Biparjoy now just 120 kms away from India and Pakistan

Thursday 15 June 2023 11:01 , Stuti Mishra

In its latest update, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) says cyclone Biparjoy is now just 120kms away from India’s Jakhua Port where it is supposed to make landfall later today.

The update issued at 1.30pm local time says the cyclone is expected to make landfall by tonight.

India aims to 'ensure zero casualties' as cyclone Biparjoy expected to cause heavy damages

Thursday 15 June 2023 11:15 , Stuti Mishra

Officials in India bracing for cyclone Biparjoy's landfall today say their aim is to ensure "zero casualties" as the weather department issued warning for heavy damages.

the health minister of Gujarat province, Rushikesh Patel, told reporters

Mr Patel said more than 47,000 people were shifted to shelter homes in the Kutch district alone, where the cyclone is expected to make landfall at the Jakhua port.

"All pregnant women moved to hospitals and other safe locations," he added.

Four deaths have already been reported in the country since heavy winds and rainfall lashed the western parts, including Mumbai where three boys drowned (see post below).

Cyclone Biparjoy to make landfall at 8pm IST

Thursday 15 June 2023 11:52 , Stuti Mishra

Cyclone Biparjoy is expected to make landfall at around 8pm or 8:30pm (14:00 GMT or 14:30 GMT), Manorama Mohanty, the Gujarat director of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

She warned that that the process could last until midnight.

Earlier, IMD said the impact of the cyclone would begin to intensify from late afternoon as Biparjoy inches closer.

The cyclone could cause tidal waves in the Arabian Sea as high as 7 to10 feet that could inundate low-lying coastal areas in both India and Pakistan.

'We are praying to God': Residents say cyclone Biparjoy is worst storm they have seen in decades

Thursday 15 June 2023 12:10 , Stuti Mishra

Residents in India's Gujarat province where cyclone Biparjoy is expected to make landfall today are experiencing extremely heavy rainfall and winds from last two days.

In Kutch region, 57-year-old boat owner and businessman Adam Karim Dhobi said this was the worst storm he'd seen since 1998.

"We have parked our boats in safe places," Mr Dhobi told Associated Press. "We are praying to God that this cyclone doesn't cause too much damage here."

Gujarat's government has evacuated around 100,000 people to safer areas with warnings in place for heavy tides, winds and rainfall. Roads have already been inundated with water in many areas as gusts uproot trees and roofs.

World breaches 1.5C limit temporarily

Thursday 15 June 2023 12:23 , Stuti Mishra

The first half of June has witnessed global surface air temperatures surpassing the critical threshold of 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, the European Union's scientific body has said.

The 1.5C limit, which is a key goal of the Paris Agreement to limit global heating, was crossed after the official declaration of the emerging El Niño phenomenon and last month’s record sea-surface temperatures.

The first eleven days of this month also registered the highest temperatures on record for this time of the year, Copernicus said.

This has been the first time that global surface air temperatures have exceeded the pre-industrial level by more than 1.5C during the month of June.

Experts say while this rise in global-mean temperatures is temporary, it points to an alarming trend.

“This isn’t the first time global-mean warming temporarily exceeds 1.5C, and certainly won’t be the last – but this doesn’t mean we have exceeded the Paris Agreement policy limit," Dr Paulo Ceppi, Lecturer in Climate Science at the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London, explained.

"On top of the long-term global warming trend, there are natural fluctuations in global temperature from month to month and year to year, and on average, global warming remains closer to 1.2C."

“Looking to the future however, with continued high emissions of greenhouse gases, we can expect to cross the 1.5C threshold increasingly frequently, and even permanently unless we act very rapidly to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions," he added.

Watch: Police patrol Mumbai's Gateway of India as Biparjoy nears landfall

Thursday 15 June 2023 13:01 , Stuti Mishra

Cyclone Biparjoy is making landfall in Gujarat but its impact is being felt in India’s financial capital Mumbai as terrifyingly high tides and heavy rainfall lash the city.

Alerts have been issued in the city to stay away from coastal areas as fishing activities were halted.

Earlier three boys had died after drowning in water off the coast of Juhu beach.

Cyclone Biparjoy third storm in 60 years to hit Gujarat province of India

Thursday 15 June 2023 13:30 , Stuti Mishra

Cyclone Biparjoy which is making a landfall today in Gujarat's Kutch district is only the third tropical storm to follow an eastern path in the Arabian sea.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), based on data from 1965 to 2022 for the month of June, 13 cyclones developed over the Arabian Sea.

Of these, only two crossed the Gujarat coast before Biparjoy, one Maharashtra, one Pakistan coast, while three went towards Oman-Yemen coasts and six weakened over the sea.

Cyclone Biparjoy 'strongest storm on record in North Indian Ocean'

Thursday 15 June 2023 14:00 , Stuti Mishra

Cyclone Biparjoy has set a new record for the highest Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) ever recorded in the North Indian Ocean basic, Scientist Matthew Cuyugan tweeted.

The Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) refers to a measure of a storm’s strength, frequency, and duration.Cyclone Biparjoy’s ACE value stood at 24.7775, surpassing the previous record set by Cyclone Kyarr in 2019.

It is also expected to become the first storm in the region to reach an ACE value of 25.

The cyclone is making a landfall tonight in Gujatat Jakhua port and it is classified as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm on the Indian scale or a high-end Tropical Storm on the US scale.

Landfall process of cyclone Biparjoy starts

Thursday 15 June 2023 14:27 , Stuti Mishra

The landfall process of cyclone Biparjoy has started at the western coast of India, the country’s meteorological department has announced.

The cyclone is making landfall near Jakhau Port in Gujarat’s Kutch district.

The process will take until midnight, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

It will be crossing Saurashtra and Kutch regions and adjoining Pakistan coasts close to Karachi in Pakistan by tonight.

Flooding in Gujarat due to cyclone Biparjoy

Thursday 15 June 2023 15:00 , Stuti Mishra

Rain was falling and skies were darkening in western India and southern Pakistan along the Arabian Sea, where dusty storms were hampering the evacuation and rescue work as cyclone Biparjoy began its landfall.

Authorities expect conditions to worsen for two or three days after the cyclone makes landfall, imminently, at India’s Gujarat.

In Pictures: Darkened skies and dusty storms before cyclone Biparjoy’s landfall

Thursday 15 June 2023 15:30 , Stuti Mishra

Tidal waves could flood low-lying areas

Thursday 15 June 2023 15:58 , Jane Dalton

India’s met department says the cyclone could cause tidal waves in the Arabian Sea as high as 2m to 3m (7ft to 10ft) that could inundate low-lying coastal areas in India and Pakistan.

Dust storms have already hampered evacuation and rescue work as Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall.

A vast swath of western India and neighbouring southern Pakistan are braced for flash floods, heavy rain and high winds.

Rain pelted the shores and skies darkened along the Arabian Sea.

Biparjoy is expected to reach wind speeds gusting up to 140kmph (86mph) before slowing down in India’s Gujarat province.

Thursday 15 June 2023 16:25 , Jane Dalton

High winds and heavy rain have hit India’s western state of Gujarat, and could reach India’s largest city, Mumbai, and Karachi in Pakistan, to the north.

Flooding may damage homes and power lines, experts warn

Thursday 15 June 2023 16:37 , Jane Dalton

Indian forecasters are warning of rainfall heavy enough to damage homes, power lines and crops.

“We won’t be surprised if some areas record more than 25cm of rainfall,” Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of meteorology at the India Meteorological Department said.

“Usually, they do not receive such intense precipitation at this time of the year. Therefore, there is a risk of flooding in the low-lying areas.”

The forecasters have warned of very heavy (11.5cm - 20.4cm) to extremely heavy rainfall (over 20.5cm) in Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, and other areas on path of the cyclone.

It also said the rain could cause extensive damage to standing crops, houses, roads, electricity and communication poles, and flooding of escape routes.

Gujarat’s coasts are witnessing waves 10 to 14 metres high.

Winds and rain lash coasts

Thursday 15 June 2023 19:20 , Jane Dalton

Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall on India’s Gujarat coast near the Pakistan border, the India weather office said, as strong winds and heavy rain lashed coastal areas of the two countries.

“Landfall process is continuing and by midnight it will be completely over the land. Part of the eye (of the cyclone) is over the land,” the Meteorological Department said.

Bazaars and beaches deserted and trees uprooted

Thursday 15 June 2023 19:23 , Jane Dalton

In India‘s Kutch district, near to where the cyclone made landfall, authorities are expecting significant flooding.

In Pakistan, Keti Bandar in the country’s flood-ravaged southern Sindh province, also lies in Biparjoy’s path.

The bazaars and beaches in Mandvi, India, usually a bustling coastal town known for its wooden boat-makers, were deserted under government shutdown orders.

Heavy winds and rains uprooted some trees in the area. Local media reported that a pregnant woman was brought from an island to shore and admitted to a hospital.

Amid dust storms and rain, displaced families were visibly shocked at relief camps in southern Pakistan. One evacuee, 82-year-old Bachai Bibi, said: “I don’t know what will happen to my home.”

Mohammad Ashraf, 35, said local officials helped him, his wife and three children escape from the Pakistani village of Sheikh in the storm zone.

Winds cause power cuts

Thursday 15 June 2023 19:41 , Jane Dalton

Parts of Gujarat were in darkness as power went out after electricity poles fell and trees were uprooted by high winds.

Television footage showed high waves crashing on the shores of many coastal areas, as winds bent tall trees and displaced structures.

In the coastal town of Mandvi, a witness said strong winds had uprooted trees and caused waterlogging. Other districts in the state also reported fallen trees and moderate rain.

World Health Organisation supports Pakistan

Thursday 15 June 2023 19:50 , Jane Dalton

The World Health Organisation said it was supporting Pakistan’s efforts to deal with the impact of the cyclone.

Pakistan’s government and local aid groups delivered free food and clean drinking water to displaced people.

The National Disaster Management Authority said 73,000 people had been evacuated to safer places so far, and authorities were providing them with shelter and food.

Thousands of people in India were evacuated, bringing the total number of people taken to relief camps there to 100,000.

The villagers forced into sex slavery by climate change

Thursday 15 June 2023 20:20 , Jane Dalton

The climate crisis is a major factor in a disturbing rise in trafficking of women and girls in the West Bengal region, after their homes were devastated. Report by Namita Singh. In case you missed it:

The Indian villagers forced into sex slavery as a result of climate change

World breached 1.5C limit in hottest June on record

Thursday 15 June 2023 20:50 , Jane Dalton

The world breached – for a time – a 1.5C rise in mean temperatures this month, scientists say.

They issued warnings on how fast humanity is approaching the critical warming limit set by the Paris Agreement:

World breached 1.5C limit temporarily in hottest June on record

Effort to hold back floods on beaches

Thursday 15 June 2023 21:29 , Jane Dalton

Pakistan security officials put out food carts in an attempt to hold back flooding.

Bridge 'engulfed’

Thursday 15 June 2023 22:32 , Jane Dalton

A storm surge engulfed a bridge in Gujarat, according to an Indian journalist:

Pakistan hospitals on high alert

Thursday 15 June 2023 23:32 , Jane Dalton

Hospitals in Pakistan have been put on high alert, and ships and boats have been moved from some areas of the coast.

Karachi, an economic hub of 20 million, faced no immediate threat, but emergency measures were being taken to protect against the expected winds and rain, said Sherry Rehman, Pakistan’s climate change minister.

“There is no need to panic. Such storms are always unpredictable. But rest assured that we have all our arrangements in place,” said Rehman.

Indian authorities suspended fishing until Friday, shut schools and closed beaches.

Cyclone seen from space

Friday 16 June 2023 00:45 , Jane Dalton

Cyclone Biparjoy is so large it could be seen from space, according to astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, on the International Space Station:

Cyclone Biparjoy lashes Indian coast, weakens into cyclonic storm

04:16 , Arpan Rai

Officials in India have declared the intensity of cyclone Biparjoy which lashed Saurashtra-Kutch region reduced from ‘very severe’ to ‘severe’ category hours after it made landfall in coastal areas of Gujarat.

The cyclone has moved northeastwards and has weakened into a cyclonic storm and will become a depression by the evening over south Rajasthan, the official said.

The cyclone has unleashed destructive wind speeds of up to 140 kph (86mph), lashing the region with incessant rains as trees and electricity poles were uprooted, while seawater entered villages in low-lying areas.

Hundreds of trees have been pulled out from Earth, as damaged communication towers, toppled electricity poles, solid objects were seen tossed over. The cyclone has raised dusty squalls that virtually resulted in zero visibility in some areas.

Several areas are hit by power cuts as strong winds broke electric wires and poles, causing a power outage in 45 villages of Maliya tehsil, the official said.

Cyclone Biparjoy’s landfall completed after midnight along Indian coast

04:34 , Arpan Rai

The landfall process of the ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ commenced at around 6.30pm along the coast of Saurashtra-Kutch, and was completed after midnight, an Indian official said.

The eye of the cyclone, which was churning across the Arabian Sea for more than 10 days, was located around 20km southwest of Jakhau port, 120km northwest of Devbhumi Dwarka and 50 km west-southwest of Naliya, reported Press Trust of India.

Landfall indicates a cyclonic storm moving over land after being over water.

While approaching the Gujarat coast, the cyclone moved with a speed of 13kph. During the landfall, the wind speed was 115-125kph gusting to 140 kph, the IMD said.

In pictures: Locals in India, Pakistan take shelter as cyclone Biparjoy wreaks havoc

06:36 , Arpan Rai

Two people rescued in Gujarat by Indian forces

07:49 , Arpan Rai

At least two people stranded in Gujarat’s Rupen Bandar in a low-lying area have been rescued by the Indian National Disaster Relief Forces after cyclone Biparjoy made landfall in the coastal state.

Satellite view of Cyclone Biparjoy shows storm visible from space

08:34 , Arpan Rai

Satellite visuals of cyclone Biparjoy have been captured by Nasa, right before it turned into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ around the western coast of India and southern Pakistan, moving upwards from Arabian Sea.

“The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the NOAA-20 satellite acquired this natural-color image of the storm on 14 June, a day before it was forecast to make landfall,” Nasa said.

It added that the “long-lived cyclone had wind speeds of 129 kilometers (80 miles) per hour on 14 June, making it a category 1 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale”.

Cyclone Biparjoy to morph into deep depression near Indian coast

08:50 , Arpan Rai

The weakening cyclone Biparjoy spinning along India and Pakistan has moved east-northeastwards today, top officials at the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) have said.

It is now centered 30kms from Gujarat’s Bhuj and by evening, it is expected to convert into a deep depression over Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining areas with 50-60kmph gusting to 70kmph, Dr Mrityunjay Mohapatra, director-general at IMD said.

Cyclone Biparjoy kills 2, uproots power lines after landfall in India, churns toward Pakistan

09:25 , Arpan Rai

Cyclone Biparjoy knocked out power and threw shipping containers into the sea in western India before aiming its lashing winds and rain at part of Pakistan that suffered devastating floods last year.

A man and his son died trying to save their livestock in Gujarat state, where the storm came ashore late Thursday after more than 180,000 people took shelter in the two countries.

The storm made landfall a night earlier, packing windspeeds of 85 kph (53 mph), gusting up to 105 kph (86 mph) through the coastal regions of western India’s Gujarat state. Pakistani authorities were on high alert after evacuating 82,000 people.

Read the full story here:

Cyclone Biparjoy kills 2, uproots power lines after landfall in India, churns toward Pakistan

Cyclone Biparjoy sets record as longest typhoon over Arabian Sea

09:31 , Arpan Rai

The Indian Meteorological Department said Cyclone Biporjoy has set a record for the longest lifespan over the Arabian Sea with a lifespan or more than 10 days. Cyclone Kyarr of 2019 over the Arabian Sea had a life of 9 days, it said.

Road cleared out in India’s Gujarat after cyclone landfall

10:05 , Arpan Rai

The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) personnel were seen conducting road clearance operation in Bhuj after cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ made landfall along the Gujarat coast yesterday.

Live: Coastline in India’s Gujarat state, a day after cyclone Biparjoy made landfall

10:28 , Arpan Rai

Nearly 1000 villages without electricity after cyclone landfall

11:35 , Arpan Rai

Around 1,000 villages along India’s Kutch-Saurashtra region are without electricity in the aftermath of cyclone Biparjoy, officials said.

The heavy rain and storms caused by the cyclone damaged 5,120 electricity poles, according to reports.

Initially, the “very severe cyclonic storm” brewing in the Arabian Sea had caused a power outage in 4,600 villages in the region’s coastal districts. By this noon local time power supply was restored in 3,580 villages.

Flooded roads, uprooted trees seen in Gujarat after cyclone landfall

12:05 , Arpan Rai

Cyclone Biparjoy triggers evacuation of 100,000 in India

12:05 , Arpan Rai

About 100,000 people evacuated in western India have been temporarily relocated to relief camps, authorities in western India said today after cyclone Biparjoy made a landfall.

The full extent of the damage in western India was not immediately known. In addition to the two deaths, three people were injured in nearby Devbhoomi Dwarka district, officials said.

The storm did other damage upon landfall, including uprooting trees and electricity poles. Officials in the coastal town of Mandvi told the Associated Press that heavy winds had thrown some shipping containers at Mundra port, one of India’s largest ports, into the sea.

Home state to wild animals and Asiatic lions battered in severe cyclonic storm

12:31 , Arpan Rai

Cyclone Biparjoy has pushed the Gujarat government to deploy forces to rescue wild animals as the western Indian state reeled from heavy impact.

At least 184 rapid action squads have been deployed to rescue wild animals and to clear fallen trees in the Gir National Park, home to nearly 700 Asiatic lions, officials said.

Intensity of cyclone abates in India – official

13:05 , Arpan Rai

The heavy cyclonic has shown initial signs of slowing down as it continues to move along India and Pakistan’s coastline, officials said today.

“Cyclone Biporjoy has moved north-eastwards and it is now located near Dholavira in Kachchh district of Gujarat. The intensity of the cyclone has slightly reduced, now it is a cyclone storm with windspeed of 80-90 km per hour (49-455 miles per hour),” said Dr Mrityunjay Mohapatra, director-general at the Indian Metereological Department.