Cyclone Biparjoy loses intensity retains VSCS status ahead of landfall

The powerful tropical cyclone, Biparjoy, is expected to make landfall on the coastal line of Sindh on Thursday and currently lies around 230km south of Karachi. According to the latest alert issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the cyclone is about 235km south of Thatta and 155km south-southwest of Keti Bandar. NEOC Update: سمندری طوفان بپرجوائے کیٹی بندر سے 181،کراچی سے 247 جبکہ ٹھٹھہ سے267 کلو میٹر کے فاصلے پر جنوب میں موجود ہے۔ طوفان کا آج دوپہر کیٹی بندر اور انڈین گجرات سے گزرنے کا امکان ہے۔ Source:PDC pic.twitter.com/kUul63CzHC — NDMA PAKISTAN (@ndmapk) June 15, 2023 As expected, the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) nudged towards the northeast on Wednesday, sparing the metropolis of Karachi, and kept on barrelling towards the India-Pakistan border to make the landfall. "Maximum sustained surface winds are 120-140km/h gusts 150 Km/hour around the system center and sea conditions being phenomenal around the system center with maximum wave height 25-30 feet," reported the PMD in its latest advisory today. Read Karachi Port braces for stormy weather as threat of Biparjoy looms "Under the existing upper-level steering winds, the VSCS “BIPARJOY” is likely keep tracking Northeastward and cross between Keti Bandar (Southeast Sindh) and Indian Gujarat coast on 15 June evening as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) with packing winds of 100-120km/h gusting 140km/h," the latest alert stated. Latest #CycloneBiparjoy update. These are consolidated reports from all weather satellites, PMD and depts @ndmapk pic.twitter.com/UDAhUvZBcz — SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) June 15, 2023 The storm appeared to have lost some of its intensity. "With its probable approach to the southeast Sindh coast, widespread wind-dust- and thunder-storm and rain with some extremely heavy falls accompanied with squally winds of 100-120km/h gusting 140km/h is likely in Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparker, Mirpurkhas & Umerkot districts from 15-17 June," the alert added. Furthermore, dust- and thunder-storm with some heavy rainfall are expected in Karachi to be accompanied by squally winds of 60-80km/h. Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allayar, Shaheed Benazirabad and Sanghar districts are also likely to be similarly impacted today and tomorrow. Hub, Lasbella and Khuzdar districts of Balochistan are also expected to experience dust- and thunderstorms in the coming two days. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has said that the possible impact of Biparjoy could include strong winds, rain, and flooding. سمندری طوفان کے ممکنہ اثرات میں تیز آندھی، بارش اور سیلابی کیفیت شامل ہیں. تمام متعلقہ ادارے ہائی الرٹ پر ہیں. کسی بھی قسم کی ہنگامی صورتحال میں شہری متعلقہ انتظامیہ سے رابطہ کریں اور انکی ہدایات پر عمل کریں. Source:zoom earth pic.twitter.com/00JjmRek4t — NDMA PAKISTAN (@ndmapk) June 15, 2023 "All concerned institutions are on high alert," it said in a tweet this morning urging citizens to "contact the relevant administration and follow their instructions in case of any kind of emergency." Read more Govt ensures power supply during cyclone Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman said that "all arrangements possible to secure lives of the Pakistani impact frontline have been made". #CycloneBiparjoyUpdate : approximately 4 am PST, turning northeast and east as projected, on the border of Pakistan and India. As all arrangements possible to secure lives on the 🇵🇰 impact frontline have been made,praying that as it makes landfall before or by noon, people stay… pic.twitter.com/MjID2KdDSa — SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) June 14, 2023 "Praying that as it makes landfall before or by noon, people stay safe on both sides of the border," she added. Notably, the NDMA Chairman Lt-Gen Inam Haider Malik said yesterday that 62,000 people have been evacuated from high-risk areas, with 75 relief camps set up at schools and colleges. Also read Coastal villagers forced to dislocate as Biparjoy approaches Reuters reported that authorities in India's western state of Gujarat have also evacuated more than 75,000 people from vulnerable coastal communities with cyclone Biparjoy expected to whirl in from the Arabian Sea and make landfall by Thursday evening. In the coastal town of Mandvi in Gujarat, a Reuters witness said while winds were high, the sky was blue and the sun was out on Thursday morning with shops starting to open and people coming out on the streets. "On Thursday morning, wind speed as high as 90 kmph were reported on Gujarat coast," said a senior IMD official. "The speed will rise gradually in the next few hours to 120km/h, gusting to 135km/h in the afternoon. We are expecting landfall in the evening when wind speeds would be even higher." Auditorium halls in schools and other government buildings were converted into relief camps to provide shelter to displaced people in both India and Pakistan. Ships and boats have been moved from some areas of Pakistan's coast while hospitals in the region were put on high alert as part of preparations for the cyclone.

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