Cyclone Biparjoy has weakened into a “very severe cyclonic storm” from an “extremely severe cyclonic storm” as it moves over the northeast Arabian Sea, reaching a distance of about 470km south of Karachi and 460km south of Thatta, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said on Tuesday, as the Sindh government prepares for any adverse eventuality.
According to an advisory issued by the weather body, the system’s center currently has maximum sustained surface winds of 140-150 km/hour, with gusts of 170 Km/hour. At the same time, the maximum wave height at the center has reached 30 feet, with favorable environmental conditions sustaining its strength through the forecast period (June 13-17).
The PMD said Biparjoy would likely track further northward until June 14, before recurving northeastward and crossing between Keti Bandar and the Indian Gujarat coast on June 15 as a “very severe cyclonic storm” with predictions of 100-120 km/hour winds. As a consequence, warned the PMD’s advisory, widespread wind-dust/thunderstorm rain with some very heavy/extremely heavy falls accompanied with squally winds of 80-100 km/hour, gusting 120 km/hour, were likely in Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparker, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts from June 13-17.
At the same time, dust/thunderstorm-rain with few heavy falls and accompanied with squally winds of 60-80 km/hour were likely in Karachi, Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allayar, Shaheed Benazirabad and Sanghar districts from June 14-16. It emphasized that the heavy winds could damage loose and vulnerable structures, adding surges of 3-3.5 meters were expected at landfall near Keti Bandar, which could inundate low-lying settlements.
Ahead of the cyclone’s landfall, the sea level along Sindh’s coastal belt has already started to rise, with the provincial government initiating evacuations of at-risk areas in Keti Bandar. “Evacuation continues from Keti Bandar and the islands due to possible hurricane,” Thatta Deputy Commissioner Farooq Soomro told media, explaining that evacuees had been moved to relief camps setup at schools in Keti Bandar and Baghan. “The Pakistan Army, Marine Security, Rangers, and elected representatives are helping people evacuate,” he said, noting the prevailing weather conditions were extremely hot and humid ahead of the cyclone’s landfall.
According to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, 32,466 people in Sujawal, Badin, and Thatta districts, as well as residents of around 70 buildings in Karachi, were vulnerable to the cyclonic storm.
Army deployment
Ahead of the cyclone’s landfall, Karachi Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Babar Iftikhar chaired an emergency meeting on Monday night to review preparations in Badin. Attended by military officials and heads of civil institutions, the meeting’s participants briefed the corps commander on the preparations. “All resources will be used to deal with potential threats,” he said, adding that Pakistan Army troops have already been deployed to at-risk areas to aid in any potential rescue efforts. “Under no circumstances will the people be left alone,” he emphasized.
Army troops have been deployed from Hyderabad, Badin, and Malir cantonments to help the civil administration in evacuation efforts. All garrisons of the Karachi Corps have similarly been readied for any relief activities and management of affected people.
Additional impacts
As a consequence of the Biparjoy weather system, said the PMD, heavy rainfalls and dust-storms were expected in various parts of Pakistan. In addition to the heavy rainfall and winds expected in Sindh’s coastal regions, it said rain-wind-thunderstorm were expected in Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Zhob, Barkhan, Musa Khel, Naseerabad, Sibbi, Lasbella, Kalat, Khuzdar and Makran coast.
Wind-dust/thunderstorm-rain is also expected in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Bajaur, Kurram, Waziristan, Kohat, Bannu, Tank, Karak, Dera Ismail Khan, Islamabad, Murree, Galliyat, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal and Lahore on June 13-14. Rain-dust/thunderstorm with a few hailstorms are similarly expected from June 15-18 in various parts of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.