——- Stormy Cyclone begins landfall along Pakistan, India border
——- PMD says landfall of cyclone has commenced, Biparjoy now at 245km south of Karachi, 200km south of Thatta and 150km south-southwest of Keti Bandar
——- Over 80,000 people have been evacuated; possibility of another cyclone in July; rain reported across Sindh
——- Sindh CM puts Administrations of Karachi, Hyderabad on alert
——- 100,000 people evacuated in India’s western state of Gujarat
From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: The landfall of Cyclone Biparjoy, currently classified as a “very severe cyclonic storm”, commenced along the Indian Gujarat coast and the Pakistan-India border at 7pm on Thursday, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
The PMD said the cyclone had moved further east-northeastward during the last three hours and its landfall would be complete by midnight.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) too said in its latest bulletin that the “landfall process is continuing and by midnight it will be completely over the land. Part of the eye (of cyclone) is over the land.”
Strong winds and heavy rains lashed coastal areas of Pakistan and India as the cyclone made the landfall, the weather office said.
Chief Meteorologist at PMD Sardar Sarfaraz also told media that various areas in Sindh had been receiving rain and experiencing strong winds under the impact of this weather system.
He said the cyclone had not directly hit any of the areas in Pakistan as of Thursday night.
“However, some of the areas in the country came under its outer periphery.” Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority tweeted that the cyclone had yet not reached Keti Bandar, which is at a distance of 150km from Indian Gujarat, and its impacts in Pakistan would only be certain after further development.
Citing the (IMD) update, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman said the cyclone was “still at a distance from Pakistan, and will likely begin counterclockwise landfall around or after midnight in our coastal areas. The sea may be rough with high waves at the core. Please stay safe,” she added.
In its latest alert, the PMD said the cyclone now lies near latitude 22.9°N and longitude 68.2°E at a distance of about 245km south of Karachi, 200km south of Thatta, and 150km south of Keti Bandar.
It added that the cyclone would bring winds between 100-120km/h with gusts up to 140km/h with maximum wave height of 20-25 feet.
The alert said that widespread wind-dust/thunderstorm and heavy rain was likely in Sindh’s Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas, and Umerkot districts from June 15-17.
It further predicted dust/thunderstorms and rain accompanied by squally winds in Karachi, Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allayar, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Sanghar districts yesterday and today (Friday).
It added that dust/thunderstorm and isolated heavy rainfall was likely in Balochistan’s Hub, Lasbela, and Khuzdar districts. The weather alert said that a storm surge of 3-4 metres was expected at Keti Bander, where the cyclone will make landfall, and its surroundings.
“Sea conditions along Sindh coast may get very rough/high (2-2.5m) and rough/very rough (2m) along Balochistan coast (Sonmiani, Hub, Kund Malir, Ormara and surroundings),” it added.
Sarfaraz too explained that the cyclone’s effects would persist in the region for at least next two days, as a cyclone’s reduction to a depression and then a low pressure area was a gradual process.
Addressing a press conference alongside NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider after noon yesterday, Rehman said Karachi would experience heavy rainfall and strong winds but would not be directly impacted by the cyclone.
Rehman also stated that there were 90 electricity feeders in coastal areas and there were chances of power failure when the cyclone made landfall. “Therefore, teams have been called in from Punjab for assistance in repair work.”
Regarding flight operations, the minister said airports had been given told to suspend commercial flights at airports in Karachi, Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Sukkur, and Moenjo Daro if the air pressure crossed the threshold of 30 nautical knots.
Separately, Rehman took to Twitter and shared a PMD report, saying that over 100mm of rainfall was predicted in Karachi, Hyderabad, Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Dadu, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Sanghar.
Meanwhile, over 300mm of rainfall was predicted in Thatta, Sajawal, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Umerkot, and Tharparkar between June 15-17. According to the government, 81,935 people in vulnerable areas had been relocated with the help of the Pakistan Army, Navy, Rangers, and police.
At the moment, 63 evacuation camps were active while 106 were on standby, the climate change minister said. “We are ensuring the provision of cooked food and clean water at relief camps, which are the most essential. But we have also alerted medical teams and 86 units have been deployed in the field,” Rehman added.
Speaking to a private TV channel on Thursday morning, she said that Biparjoy was a category three cyclone and 10 days ago nobody knew where it was headed. She further said that all government institutions had taken the threat seriously, adding that the cyclone had tracked eastwards during the past four days.
Rehman urged the public to “show unity” and avoid heading to the sea. “We have seen this a lot when people head to the beach to watch the cyclone. Our advice is to not even sit by the window,” she said.
She said that these were not “natural climatic conditions”. “I have also been warned that maybe, just maybe another cyclone will head towards us in July,” she said, adding that she did not wish to spread panic.
In a press conference in Hyderabad yesterday, Energy Minister Khurram Dastagir said no major electricity breakdown had been reported amid the cyclone situation.
He said he was visiting areas along the coastal belt to evaluate the cyclonic situation on the directives of the prime minister. Dastagir told media persons that eight poles and two electricity towers had collapsed in the Jhampir and Laadiyon areas of the Sujawal district. “We have started repair work to restore the power supply,” he stated.
The minister went on to say that the Ministry of Energy and Hyderabad Electricity Supply Corporation (HESCO) had devised a comprehensive strategy to overcome likely electricity failure in the cyclonic situation.
In this connection, around 2,000 volunteers had been called in from Punjab to assist in restoration and rehabilitation work. Dastagir also regretted that the storm had had adverse impacts on shipping activities at Port Qasim, particularly on the arrival of regasified liquefied natural gas.
The Sindh government has put district administrations in Karachi and Hyderabad on high alert to cope with any untoward situation arising out of Cyclone Biparjoy, a Radio Pakistan report said.
In a statement issued yesterday, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed the commissioners, police chiefs, and deputy inspector generals of both cities to remain alert.
Separately, the Sindh Provincial Disaster Management Authority also directed the deputy commissioners and the chairmen of the District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMA) in Karachi division and the districts of Matiari, Badin, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Thatta, Sujawal, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar and Umerkot to take necessary “mitigation measures”.
Officials were told to ensure vigilant monitoring of the cyclone and to coordinate with the Provincial Emergency Operation Centre (PEOC). They were also told to arrange rescue boats and transport in order to evacuate people from low-lying areas.
The authority directed them to ensure fallen trees, wires and “other loose objects” were removed, while also ensuring that residents were evacuated from weak residential structures or mud houses. It also told the to identify high-risk areas prone to storm surges, flooding and prepare evacuation plans accordingly.
The officials were also directed to evacuate residents from coastal locations, ensure cleaning of stormwater drains, ensure pumping stations were operational and to remove all bill boards.
Further, they were asked to conduct a public awareness campaign about the cyclone’s probable effects as well as safety measures. “Keep fishermen informed of the weather conditions and advise them not to venture into open sea until the situation improves,” the directives said.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah was also briefed on the latest situation arising out of the cyclone. A handout issued by the CM Office said, Shah was told that 76,925 people had been evacuated in Badin, Sujawal and Thatta while a total of 44 relief camps had been set up.
Meanwhile, authorities in India’s western state of Gujarat have evacuated more than 100,000 people from vulnerable coastal communities. Indian television footage showed high waves in many coastal areas of Gujarat, coupled with heavy rain and strong wind.
Auditorium halls in schools and other government buildings were converted into relief camps to provide shelter to displaced people in both India and Pakistan.
Indian authorities suspended fishing until Friday, closed down schools and banned people from using beaches. Many offshore oil installations and major ports, which line the coasts of Gujarat, have suspended operations.
