'Biparjoy' intensifies into 'Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm': IMD

New Delhi: The very severe cyclonic storm “Biparjoy” (pronounced as “Biporjoy”) over eastcentral Arabian Sea moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 9 kmph during the past 6 hours and intensified into an 'Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm', India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.

IMD in a bulletin a short while ago said, the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm lay centered at 0530 hours early today over the same region near latitude 17.9°North and longitude 67.4°East, about 580 km west-southwest of Mumbai, 480 km south-southwest of Porbandar, 530 km south-southwest of Devbhumi Dwarka, 610 km south-southwest of Naliya and 780 km south of Karachi (Pakistan).

It is very likely to move nearly northward till June 14th morning, then move northnortheastwards and cross Saurashtra & Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) around noon of 15th June as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph.

Heavy Rainfall warning for Gujarat (Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh and Morbi districts):

Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh and Morbi districts of Saurashtra & Kutch on June 14.

The intensity of rainfall would increase with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and

extremely heavy falls at isolated places very likely over Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka & Jamnagar and heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places over Porbandar, Rajkot, Morbi & Junagarh districts of Gujarat on 15th June.

Isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over remaining districts of Saurashtra and north Gujarat region on June 15.

Gale wind speed reaching 160-175 kmph gusting to 195 kmph is prevailing over eastcentral and adjoining westcentral & northeast Arabian Sea today.

Gale wind speed reaching 150-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph is likely to prevail over northeast and adjoining central Arabian Sea tomorrow.

Storm Surge Warning (Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar and Morbi districts) :

Storm surge of about 2 m above the astronomical tide is likely to inundate the low-lying areas of above districts during the time of landfall, the bulletin added. (UNI)