Cyclone Biparjoy: Coast Guard evacuates 50 crew members in Gujarat

New Delhi, 13 June (IANS) The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said on Tuesday that it has evacuated 50 crew members of Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) as a preventive measure in view of the severe cyclone Biparjoy.

The Ministry of Defence said that the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) had requested the ICG for evacuation of 50 crew members from jack up rig 'KEY SINGAPORE 01' located 25 nm west of Okha, Gujarat.

The ministry said that ICG initiated the operation for the safe evacuation of all 50 crews onboard the rig in rough weathers and high seas. ICG ship Shoor was diverted immediately for rescue operations. An ICG helicopter (CG 858) was also positioned in Okha for evacuation, officials added.

The ICG evacuated 26 crew members by the evening on June 12. Consequently, the operation resumed with first light on Tuesday which resulted in the safe evacuation of the remaining 24 crew members.

The operation has been completed successfully, the Defence Ministry said.

Cyclonic storm Biparjoy was noticed forming in the Arabian Sea from June 6. The ICG has been undertaking pre-emptive and preventive measures at sea since then.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday that cyclone Biparjoy has turned from 'extreme' to a 'very severe' cyclonic storm and will cross the Jakhau Port in Gujarat by Thursday evening. An 'orange' alert is in effect for the state's Saurashtra and Kutch coasts.

"The very severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy over northeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph during past six hours and lay centred at 5.30 a.m. on Tuesday over northeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea, about 300 km west-southwest of Porbandar, 290 km southwest of Devbhumi Dwarka, 340 km south-southwest of Jakhau Port, 350 km south-southwest of Naliya, and 480 km south of Karachi," the IMD said in a statement.