Home Minister Amit Shah Surveys Cyclone-Battered Gujarat, Holds Review Meeting in Bhuj

Bhuj, Gujarat - Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, arrived in Bhuj on Saturday to assess the aftermath of Cyclone Biparjoy and take a look on the situation. The ministers conducted an aerial survey of the areas affected by the cyclone, followed by a review meeting in Bhuj later in the day.

 

Cyclone Biparjoy, which weakened as it moved towards south Rajasthan, had wreaked havoc in the Kutch and Saurashtra regions of Gujarat. Despite the destructive impact, there were no reported casualties in the state. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of heavy rainfall in northern Gujarat in the coming days.

 

The successful evacuation of over one lakh people, along with advance planning, played a crucial role in achieving "zero casualty" during the cyclone, stated Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. The government release also highlighted that among the relocated individuals were 10,918 children, 5,070 senior citizens, and 1,152 pregnant women.

 

The immediate challenges faced by the Gujarat government include restoring electricity in approximately 1,000 villages and clearing roads obstructed by fallen trees. Efforts are underway, with 1,127 teams working in districts such as Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Morbi, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Rajkot, and Porbandar to restore electricity. Additionally, the forest department teams have already removed 581 fallen trees from the roads.

 

Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall near Jakhau on the Saurashtra-Kutch coast around 6:30 pm on Thursday, bringing heavy rainfall and gusts of wind reaching speeds of up to 140 kmph. The landfall process was completed by 2:30 am on Friday, affecting several parts of Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Rajkot, and Morbi districts. These regions experienced very heavy rainfall ranging from 100-185 mm accompanied by strong winds of up to 95 kmph.

 

The state power utility, Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Limited, suffered significant financial losses with 5,120 electricity poles damaged during the cyclone. As a result, 4,600 villages were left without power, although electricity supply was restored in 3,580 villages. The storm also resulted in at least 23 injuries and damage to several houses.

 

While the immediate focus is on recovery and rehabilitation efforts, the cyclone is now headed towards south Rajasthan. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has positioned a team in Jalore, as heavy rains may lead to flooding in the region.

 

During his visit, Union Home Minister Amit Shah  visited  Mandvi Civil Hospital and meet with those affected by the cyclone who were admitted there. The government remains committed to providing necessary support and resources to ensure a swift recovery and restoration of normalcy in the cyclone-affected areas.

 

As the situation unfolds, the government continues to closely monitor the rehabilitation efforts and is working in coordination with local authorities to provide relief to the affected population.

 

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