Cyclone ‘Biparjoy’: IAF assets ready for relief and rescue operations

New Delhi, Jun 15 (PTI) The Indian Air Force assets are in operational readiness for relief and rescue work that would follow the landfall of cyclone ‘Biparjoy’, the IAF said on Thursday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said ‘Biparjoy’ is likely to make landfall near Jakhau Port in Gujarat’s Kutch district late Thursday night as a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ with wind speeds reaching a maximum of 140 kilometres per hour.

“#IAF assets in Op readiness for relief and rescue operations that would follow the landfall of #Cyclonebiparjoy. IAF is committed to assist fellow citizens to tackle contingencies that arise due to the cyclone,” the IAF tweeted.

According to officials, 15 teams of the National Disaster Response Force, 12 teams of the State Disaster Response Force as well as personnel of the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Indian Coast Guard and Border Security Force (BSF) have been deployed for relief and rescue operations.

In Gujarat, more than 94,000 people living in eight coastal districts have been shifted to temporary shelters.

In its latest bulletin, the IMD said the landfall process of the cyclone would begin in the evening and will continue till midnight.

The IMD said the cyclone would bring extremely heavy rainfall and cause ‘astronomical tide’ with a storm surge of 2-3 metres height that could inundate low-lying areas in Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar and Morbi districts during landfall.