India limits cyclone casualties with early warnings, timely evacuation

A drone view of a broken bridge during the aftermath of Cyclone Biparjoy after it made landfall, along the Naliya-Bhuj highway, in the western state of Gujarat, , India, June 16, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

AHMEDABAD, India (Reuters) -Early warnings, accurate identification of vulnerable areas and timely evacuations helped India to avert major casualties from cyclone Biparjoy, which battered the west coast near Pakistan late on Thursday, authorities said.

Biparjoy, which means 'calamity' in Bengali, hit the state of Gujarat with speeds of up to 125 kph (78 mph), blowing roofs off houses and uprooting trees and electricity poles.