Widespread damage and power outages as Cyclone Biparjoy lashes Gujarat
Darpan News Desk IANS, 16 Jun, 2023 11:55 AM
Gandhinagar, June 16 (IANS) Cyclone Biparjoy, noted for its strong winds and torrential rainfall, left a devastating trail after making a landfall across Gujarat's Kutch district.
As the cyclone gradually weakened on its northward trajectory, it had already disrupted everyday life on an unprecedented scale. Uprooted trees, injuries to 23 people, and extensive power failures marked its ferocity as it made landfall on Gujarat's coasts on Thursday evening.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) reported two casualties preceding the cyclone's arrival. A father-son cattle-rearing duo died while attempting to save their trapped goats from a flooded ravine in Bhavnagar district the same day.
Gujarat's relief commissioner, Alok Singh confirmed that the cyclone has resulted in 24 animal fatalities, 524 toppled trees, and a slew of damaged electric poles resulting in power outages across 940 villages. Morbi district clocking over 115-120 kilometers per hour and heavy rainfall, witnessed over 300 electric poles being destroyed. This damage led to power outages across 45 villages, as the cyclone made its aggressive landfall on Thursday evening.
Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Limited (PGVCL) officials confirm that efforts to restore power are in full swing in nine of the affected villages.
With Biparjoy now losing strength, Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel reported no casualties in the Kutch district.
He further stated that road clearance operations are being carried out across several parts of the coastal districts. He said, "We are analysing the situation at the Control room in Kutch. No need to worry, the government is making every effort to bring things to normal."
In preparation for Biparjoy's anticipated landfall, over 180,000 individuals were relocated to safer zones, indicating the severity of the cyclone's expected impact.
The accused were identified as Sardar Jagpal Singh, 51, Harjinder Singh Raina, 71 and Sudershan Singh Wazir, 67. Wazir is a cousin of the deceased J&K politician. The 68-year-old Wazir was found murdered in a flat in Delhi's Basai Darapur area in March, 2021.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Wednesday arrested an air passenger from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here for possessing 3,360 gram cocaine valued at Rs 33.60 crore. A DRI official said that they got a specific intelligence tip off that an Indian national arriving from Addis Ababa to Mumbai by Ethiopian Airlines flight might be carrying a narcotic substance.
They are accused of setting a shop and house on fire during the riots and police charge-sheeted them for committing offences punishable under Sections 147-149, 188, 427 and 436 of the Indian Penal Code.
When Jnanesh, a class 9 student, was watching mobile after coming back home from the Sacred Heart School, Vinaya scolded him for mobile addiction and asked him to put it away. The boy told his mother that he would come back after taking a bath. He went inside and hanged himself to death from a ceiling fan in his room on Monday evening.
Additional Sessions Judge, Patiala House courts, Harjyot Singh Bhalla, who had reserved his order on Monday, granted bail on the bail bond of Rs 1 lakh. He had noted that what Mishra has allegedly done is disgusting but the court is bound to follow the law.
The biscuits weigh 932 gm and their estimated market value is Rs 54,78,855. The incident occurred on Monday under the jurisdiction of the Amudia Border Outpost, manned by troops of the 112 BN, BSF. This is in the North 24-Parganas district of West Bengal that shares an international border with the Satkhira district of Bangladesh.
