Pakistan, June 14 : Pakistan is set to carry out a large-scale evacuation of approximately 100,000 individuals residing in coastal areas, as cyclone Biparjoy continues to grow stronger. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) chairman, Inam Haider Malik, stated that the evacuation efforts are aimed at ensuring the safety of the affected population. The evacuations are expected to be completed by early Thursday, coinciding with Biparjoy’s projected landfall between Keti Bandar in Sindh province and Kutch in Gujarat. The NDMA chairman emphasized that the cyclone has escalated from severe to a very severe cyclonic emergency, prompting measures to mitigate its impact and potential damage.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of storm surges up to 3.5 meters high at the landfall point, which poses a significant risk of inundation to low-lying settlements along the coastline. Sea conditions off the coasts of Sindh and Balochistan are predicted to be exceptionally rough. According to the PMD’s alert issued on Tuesday night, Biparjoy has shifted further north/northwestward and is currently situated approximately 380km south of Karachi. The sustained surface winds are estimated to reach speeds of 140-150kmph, with the central area of the system experiencing winds of up to 170kmph.
Both India and Pakistan have already initiated evacuations in the coastal regions, with thousands of people relocated to safer areas. The severity of cyclone Biparjoy has led to heightened preparedness efforts to minimize the potential impact on lives and infrastructure in the affected areas.
