Authorities in Pakistan and India are on high alert as they get ready for Cyclone Biparjoy, a powerful cyclone that is predicted to make landfall along their coasts this evening. In response, approximately 100,000 people have relocated to both countries in order to protect their safety and limit any harm to their houses and electrical infrastructure.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported that Cyclone Biparjoy has been moving north-northeastward and currently sits approximately 230 kilometers south of Karachi, 235 kilometers south of Thatta, and 155 kilometers south-southwest of Keti Bandar. With winds forecasted to reach speeds of 160 kilometers per hour, sea conditions in the vicinity of the storm’s center are extremely hazardous, with maximum wave heights reaching 30 feet.
The NDMA highlighted that Keti Bandar in southeast Sindh will experience winds of 100-120 kilometers per hour, gusting up to 140 kilometers per hour, when the cyclone hits. Indian weather expert Mahesh Palawat noted that Biparjoy has become the longest-lived cyclone in the Arabian Sea, surpassing the previous record set in 1998.
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Senator Sherry Rehman, emphasized the need to evacuate people to safer areas to mitigate the potential risks associated with the cyclone. In a press conference, she warned that the accompanying activities of the cyclone could put lives at risk. The impacted areas expected to include Umerkot, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, and Tharparkar. Rainfall of approximately 110mm for Karachi and 330mm for Thatta has projected.
Minister Rehman also urged people in Karachi to refrain from engaging in disaster tourism or filming TikTok videos near the seashore, as this could jeopardize their safety and that of their families. As a precautionary measure, small aircraft operations in the metropolis have suspended, and commercial flight operations will follow suit as the cyclone approaches.
The cyclone’s potential impact on gas supply has led the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) Limited to suspend gas supply to all industries, including power generation units, the fertilizer sector, and CNG stations. This decision made due to the expected effects of Cyclone Biparjoy and the existing shortage of natural gas and re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG). Energy Minister Khurram Dastagir has arrived in Karachi to oversee the electricity situation during this challenging period.
Authorities in both Pakistan and India are working diligently to ensure the safety and well-being of their citizens as Cyclone Biparjoy approaches their coasts. Precautionary measures, including evacuations and supply suspensions, implemented to minimize the potential impact of the cyclone on the affected regions.
