July 01, 2023
- Biparjoy, a powerful cyclone that developed in the Arabian Sea, made landfall near Jakhau Port on Gujarat’s Kutch coast on June 15. The name ‘Biparjoy’, which means ‘calamity’ or ‘disaster’ in Bengali, was suggested by Bangladesh.
- As the cyclone made landfall, strong and destructive winds with speeds of up to 125kms per hour swept across the region accompanied by heavy rains, causing devastation in Kutch and parts of Saurashtra. It also affected the coastal regions of Pakistan.
- Approximately 1,70,000 people were evacuated from regions in both India and Pakistan that were at the highest risk of being affected.
- Fishing and other activities were suspended in the regions. Numerous trees were uprooted and electricity poles were damaged in Gujarat.
- 12 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and 17 National Disaster Response (NDRF) teams were deployed by the Indian government to carry out relief operations in Gujarat’s impacted areas.
- After the cyclone weakened, it continued to move north-eastward towards Rajasthan, causing heavy rainfall in some regions.
