"Not a single life lost": Amit Shah says Gujarat faced cyclone 'Biparjoy' with minimum loss

Kutch (Gujarat) [India], June 17 (ANI): Asserting that there was no loss of life in Gujarat due to cyclone 'Biparjoy', which made landfall in the coastal areas of his home state, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the extremely severe cyclonic storm, packing wind speeds in excess of 140 kmph, was tackled successfully.
The Union Home Minister was speaking at a press conference in Bhuj after chairing a review meeting on the aftermath of cyclone 'Biparjoy'.
"Today, a meeting was held in hybrid mode, featuring all the ministers, MLAs, and officers of the Gujarat government, as well as those representing the central government," Shah said.
Stressing not a single life was lost in the cyclone, the Union Home Minister said, "Today I can say with great satisfaction that, with the cooperation of PM Modi and the people in all the affected areas, we were able to face this cyclone with minimum loss."
Heaping praise on the evacuation effort, Shah said, "The way the Gujarat government, with the support of the central agencies, worked to protect lives during the cyclone is a classic example of teamwork."
Shah said, "Only 47 people were injured after the storm hit but none severely. Also, only about 234 animals died in the cyclone."
He said that PM Modi had directed the authorities concerned to make all necessary arrangements long before the cyclone made landfall. "He (PM Modi) held discussions with the state officials and agencies on preparedness, evacuation, and rescue," Shah said.
He said that power has been restored in 1,600 of the 3,400 villages which went dark in the wake of the storm. "I have been assured by the officials concerned that power in the remaining villages will be restored before 6 pm on June 20."
He added that a total of 1,08,208 civilians and about 73,000 livestock were moved to safe shelters before the storm hit.
Shah, who personally monitored and took stock of the rescue operations, said, "Nineteen teams from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 13 teams from State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and 2 Reserve Battalions were deployed to ensure that the evacuation and rescue operations could be conducted without a hitch. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Police, and the BSF also worked with NDRF and SDRF to ensure the safety of locals."
Earlier, on Saturday, Shah arrived in his home state to survey the trail of devastation left in the wake of Cyclone 'Biparjoy'.
He also met the people of Kathda village in Mandvi while also interacting with personnel of the National Disaster Response Force in the Kutch district.
Earlier in the day, Shah visited Mandvi Civil Hospital and interacted with those affected by the extremely severe cyclonic storm.
Shah, along with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, conducted an aerial survey of areas badly hit by the cyclone.
Cyclone Biparjoy, which originated in the Arabian Sea and swept across the west coast of India, made landfall on Thursday night around 10 km north of the Jakhau Port in Kutch in Gujarat.
A total of six National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams evacuated 127 civilians from Rupen Bandar Government Primary School and reshifted to NDH School Dwarka after Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall in coastal areas of the state on Thursday evening.
According to NDRF, the evacuated civilians included 82 men, 27 women and 15 children.
With a prediction of heavy rainfall for the next two days for Gujarat after cyclone 'Biparjoy' made landfall in the state, Western Railways on Friday decided to cancel, partially cancel the operation of a few more trains as a precautionary measure in the cyclone-prone areas.
According to IMD, the cyclonic storm weakened into a 'deep depression' at 11:30 pm on Friday over Southeast Pakistan.
Earlier, it was reported that several trees were uprooted in Bhuj, Kutch, due to the impact of the cyclone. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team carried out the clearance work on Friday.
Strong winds and rain from cyclone 'Biparjoy' caused a power outage in Gujarat's Jamnagar district. PGVCL (Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Limited) teams were in action mode on Friday to restore the issue.
Of the damaged property, 414 feeders, 221 electric poles, and one TC were made operational immediately. The power supply was restored in villages of Jamnagar district.
A transformer at Kalavad taluka of Jamnagar was made functional promptly after the cyclone passed.
NDRF Director General Atul Karwal on Friday said no loss of life was reported after Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall in Gujarat.
"Twenty-four animals have died and 23 people have been injured. Electricity supply has been interrupted in about a thousand villages. 800 trees have fallen. It is not raining heavily anywhere except Rajkot," the NDRF DG Karwal said earlier. (ANI)