Cyclone Biparjoy: Western Railway cancels 95 trains till 15 June. Details here

Cyclone Biparjoy: Western Railway has cancelled or short-terminated around 95 trains as cyclone Biparjoy is likely to hit Gujarat on Thursday (June 15). According to a statement by Western Railway, around 95 trains running through, originating, or terminating in Biparjoy-affected areas of Gujarat, will remain cancelled or short-terminated till 15 June.

“For the kind attention of passengers. The following trains of 14/06/2023 have been Fully Cancelled/Short-Terminated/Short-Originate by WR as a precautionary measure in the cyclone-prone areas over Western Railway," the tweet reads.

Earlier, on Monday, Ashok Kumar Misra, the Western Railway General Manager, said they are monitoring cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ and have established a disaster control room, and also deployed ADRMs at Bhuj, Gandhidam, Porbandar, and Okha. He added, "The Western Railway continues to be cautious and is actively revising train schedules to ensure safe travel. "In view of the latest weather forecast of cyclone Biparjoy affecting the coastal areas of Saurashtra and Kutch in the state of Gujarat, various safety and security precautions are being taken by Western Railway for the likely affected areas under the jurisdiction of Western Railway," it said.

According to the India Meteorological Department ( IMD), Cyclone Biparjoy is expected to land on Gujarat's Saurashtra and Kutch regions and adjoining Pakistan coasts on Thursday evening, with winds of 125-135 kmph, gusting to 150 kmph.

IMD director general M Mohapatra said that cyclone Biparjoy has a huge damaging potential, smashing thatched and kutcha houses and damaging pucca houses. It may also uproot trees and communication poles.

Strong winds and high waves may likely occur over Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh, and Morbi districts.

Until this year, only two cyclones that developed over the Arabian Sea crossed the Gujarat coast in June. However, Biparjoy is on course to becoming the longest-sustaining Arabian Sea cyclone, having completed 150 hours at hurricane strength.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya reviewed the preparedness measures being taken by the Centre and Gujarat state on cyclone 'Biparjoy' at Bhuj. 12 NDRF teams have been deployed in the state. Six Central Quick Response Medical Teams pooled from various hospitals such as Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital Delhi, Lady Hardinge Medical College Delhi, Safdarjung Hospital Delhi, and All India Institute of Medical Sciences of Delhi, Jodhpur, and Nagpur have also been kept to fulfill the emergency needs and services.

"The Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) in all States has been tasked to conduct post-disaster disease surveillance through the State/district surveillance units for timely detection of any disease outbreak of any epidemic-prone diseases in the aftermath of the cyclone. In case of any logistic requirement by the States, HLL Lifecare Ltd. has been tasked with supply of the same," the health ministry said.