 "Cyclone Biparjoy aftermath: Video of PM Modi's poster standing tall in Dwarka amid havoc goes viral (WATCH)")
synopsis
According to officials, Biparjoy, which is Bengali for "calamity," unleashed damaging winds up to 140 kph, relentless rain, toppled trees and electricity poles, and allowed seawater to infiltrate low-lying settlements.
Although no fatalities have been reported, Cyclone Biparjoy, which hit the Kutch-Saurashtra region, has left a path of destruction after damaging 5,120 electricity poles and knocking out power in 4,600 villages. According to officials, 3,580 communities now have electricity again, while more than 1,000 still do not. They claimed that about 600 trees were uprooted and that the cyclone also caused numerous homes to be damaged. As a result, traffic on three state highways came to a complete stop. However amid this havoc, a poster of Prime Minister Narendra Modi standing tall in Dwarka has caught the attention of several netizens.
A video, which has now gone viral on Twitter, shows a gigantic poster of PM Modi untouched by the strong winds and heavy rains at the entrance gate of Dwarka. "Due to Biparjoy Cyclone effect many big hoardings & trees fell down in Dwarka but poster of PM Modi kept at entrance gate of Dwarka is standing tall & undamaged," wrote a Twitter user who shared the video on the micro-blogging site.
According to officials, Biparjoy, which is Bengali for "calamity," unleashed damaging winds up to 140 kph, relentless rain, toppled trees and electricity poles, and allowed seawater to infiltrate low-lying settlements.
Since the storm began making landfall at Jakhau Port at 6.30 pm on Thursday, and the process continued until 2.30 am, heavy rains have pounded the whole Kutch district, according to them.
"No human death has been reported so far due to cyclone Biparjoy. The biggest achievement for the state is that not a single human death has been reported so far. This was possible because of our collective efforts," state Relief Commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey told reporters in Gandhinagar.
Before the cyclone made landfall, he claimed, more than one lakh people were relocated to safer areas.
When questioned about a father and son goat-rearing team who perished on Thursday while attempting to rescue their goats trapped in a flooded ravine in the Bhavnagar district, Pandey said that since the district was unaffected by the storm, their deaths were not considered to be cyclone-related.
"The cyclone caused extensive financial loss to the state power utility - Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Limited - with 5,120 electricity poles getting damaged. They are being restored. As many as 4,600 villages were rendered without power, but electricity supply has been restored in 3,580 villages," he said.
Although efforts are being made to restore power to the remaining communities, Pandey noted that obstacles are being created by the bad weather.
"Three state highways were closed as they suffered damages and saw felling of trees. A total of 581 trees were uprooted as per reports. As many as nine pucca and 20 kutcha houses were razed, and two pucca and 474 kutcha houses suffered partial damages," he said.
The government was formulating an order for quick compensation to people who have sustained losses owing to the cyclone, and 65 thatched houses were destroyed, the source continued.
He stated that in order to ensure that rescue and relief operations were carried out with greater coordination, the media, social service groups, administration of the eight affected districts, and national and state ministers responsible for various areas conducted campaigns in their respective districts.
"Inter-departmental coordination was also very good, with all of us receiving the guidance of the Chief Minister. He visited the State Emergency Operation Centre, interacted with the media and provided us guidance," he told reporters in Gandhinagar.
This coordinated effort allowed the state to evacuate more than one lakh people from villages along the Arabian Sea to safe areas, making it one of the greatest numbers ever. The local district government will start moving residents who were transferred to safer places back once the situation has improved, he said.
The material so far has been primary in nature, according to Pandey, and it will be updated by this evening when the administrations of the impacted districts provide new information.
Due to the persistently strong wind and heavy rain in the cyclone's epicentre, he said, it will take some time for data from Kutch to arrive.
After making landfall, the cyclone's strength dropped from "very severe" to "severe" within a few hours. According to officials, the cyclone has weakened into a cyclonic storm and is moving north-east. It will turn into a depression by nightfall over south Rajasthan.
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