Cyclone Biparjoy lashes Gujarat coast, weakens into cyclonic storm
Ahmedabad (PTI): The intensity of cyclone Biparjoy which lashed Saurashtra-Kutch region has reduced from 'very severe' to 'severe' category hours after making landfall in coastal areas of Gujarat, an official said on Friday.
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.
Biparjoy (meaning disaster or calamity in Bengali) unleashed destructive wind speeds of up to 140 kmph and incessant rains as trees and electricity poles were uprooted, while seawater entered villages located in low-lying areas.
A cattle-rearer duo of father and son died while trying to save their goats stuck in a flooded ravine in Bhavnagar district on Thursday.
Howling winds yanked hundreds of trees, damaged communication towers, toppled electricity poles, flung solid objects, and raised dusty squalls that virtually resulted in zero visibility in some areas.
Many areas plunged into darkness due to power cuts. Strong winds broke electric wires and poles, causing a power outage in 45 villages of Maliya tehsil, the official said.
A relief and rescue operation was underway with multiple teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) deployed in the affected districts, officials said.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reviewed the situation and the rescue and relief operation at the State Emergency Operation Centre in Gandhinagar.
The landfall process of the 'very severe cyclonic storm' commenced at around 6:30 pm along the coast of Saurashtra-Kutch, and was completed after midnight, the official said.
The eye of the cyclone, which was churning across the Arabian Sea for more than 10 days, was located around 20 km southwest of Jakhau port, 120 km northwest of Devbhumi Dwarka and 50 km west-southwest of Naliya.
Landfall indicates a cyclonic storm moving over land after being over water.
While approaching the Gujarat coast, the cyclone moved with a speed of 13 kmph. During the landfall, the wind speed was 115-125 kmph gusting to 140 kmph, the IMD said.
The state government said it has deployed 631 medical teams and 504 ambulances in the eight affected districts.
The state administration said that till Thursday evening it shifted more than 94,000 persons living in the eight coastal districts to temporary shelters.
Apart from teams of NDRF and SDRF, Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Border Security Force (BSF) have been roped in for relief and rescue operations, officials said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Patel over the phone on Thursday night and enquired about the situation in the state following the landfall.
Among other things, the PM sought to know the steps taken by the state administration for the safety of wild animals, especially the lions in the Gir forest.
"PM Modi held a telephonic conversation with me and took all the details about the current situation of Gujarat following the landfall of cyclone Biparjoy. He also enquired about the steps taken by the government for the safety of all wild animals, including the lions of Gir Forest," Patel tweeted.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
