Islamabad: Cyclone Biparjoy was 340 kilometers away from Karachi on Wednesday as it moved further north and was forecast to recurve north-northeastward. It is anticipated to make landfall tomorrow (June 15) between Keti Bandar in Sindh and Kutch in Indian Gujarat.
According to Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfraz, the cyclone has been moving north-northwestward over the past six hours. According to the most recent warning from the PMD, the cyclone was now located 275 kilometers south-southwest of Keti Bandar, 355 kilometers south-southwest of Thatta, and 340 kilometers south-southwest of Karachi.
“Maximum sustained surface winds are 150-160km/hour, gusts 180km/hour around the system centre and sea conditions being phenomenal around the system centre with maximum wave height [of] 30 feet,” the alert said.
It added that the “very severe cyclonic storm” was now likely to recurve north- northeastward and cross between Keti Bandar and the Indian Gujarat coast on June 15, packing winds of 100-120km/h.
It further said that widespread wind-dust/thunderstorm and rain were likely in Sindh’s Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparker, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts during June 14-17. Likewise, heavy rainfall and squally winds were likely in Karachi, Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allayar, Shaheed Benazirabad and Sanghar districts from June 14-16 while dust/thunderstorm and isolated heavy falls were expected in Balochistan’s Hub and Lasbela districts during this time.
Zoom Earth said Biparjoy would “recurve sharply northeastward along the northwestern edge of the subtropical ridge and will approach the India-Pakistan border area with significant weakening after 24 hours due to increased frictional effects”.
“After 36 hours when the system makes landfall, Biparjoy will rapidly weaken and is expected to dissipate in three days over northwest India,” it said.
Energy Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan alerted citizens about a “temporary decline in RLNG-based (Re-Gasified Liquefied Natural Gas-based) electricity generation and temporary increase in load-shedding” due to the cyclone disrupting RLNG shipping to Pakistan.
He said, “We are ensuring full fuel supplies to K-Electric to maintain routine [electricity] supply to Karachi citizens.”
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt-Gen Inam Haider Malik, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman said Biparjoy was following the path that had been predicted.
