Biparjoy Has Turned Into Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storms, Wind Speed To Remain High In Saurashtra-Kutch Region

The India Meteorological Department notified that the cyclone 'Biparjoy' which is currently located in east central of the Arabian Sea has intensified into extremely severe cyclonic storms over the next six hours and is likely to move toward the Pakistan and adjoining coasts.

In a bulletin by the IMD, it said, "The very severe cyclonic storm "Biparjoy (pronounced as "biporjoy") over eastcentral arabian sea moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 9 kmph during past 6-hours, intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm and lay centered at 0000 UTC of today, the 11th June, 2023 over the same region near latitude 17.9°n and longitude 67.4"e, about 580 km west- southwest of Mumbai (43057), 480 km south-southwest of Porbandar (42830), 530 km south-southwest of Dwarka (42731), 610 km south-southwest of Naliya (42631) and 780 km south of Karachi (41780)."

It also added, "it is very likely to move nearly northward till 14th morning, then move north-northeastwards and cross Saurashtra & Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) around noon of 15th June as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph."

On Sunday the IMD tweeted saying, "VSCS BIPARJOY lay centered at 2330IST of today, near lat 17.4N and long 67.3E, about 600 km WSW of Mumbai, 530 km S-SW of Porbandar & 830 km S of Karachi. To intensify further and likely to reach near Pakistan & adjoining Saurashtra & Kutch coast around A/N of 15th June as VSCS"

The cyclone was expected to be a very severe cyclonic storm until the last four hours but in its latest tweet, the IMD notified that it is turning into an extremely severe cyclonic storm, they said, "VSVS Biparjoy over eastcentral Arabian Sea at 0230 hours IST of 11th June, 2023 about 510 km south-southwest of Porbandar. To intensify into an ESCS during next 06 hours. To reach near Pakistan and adjoining Saurashtra & Kutch coasts around afternoon of 15th June, 2023 as a VSCS."

The situation in Pakistan now

Heavy rains swept through Pakistan's northwest, causing several houses to collapse and leaving at least 25 people dead and 145 injured, authorities said.

Rains and hail hit the Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Karak districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, senior rescue officer Khateer Ahmed said, uprooting trees and knocking down electrical transmission towers.

Officials were working to provide emergency relief to the injured, Ahmed said.

Last year, monsoon rains and flooding devastated Pakistan, killing more than 1,700 people, affecting around 33 million people and displacing nearly 8 million.

To mitigate the effects of natural disasters, the government in its national budget draft presented Friday allocated USD 1.3 billion for climate resilience.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of life loss from the storm and directed authorities to pick up the pace of the relief operation.

Meanwhile, Sharif ordered officials to put in place emergency measures in advance of the approaching Cyclone Biparjoy in the Arabia Sea. The “severe and intense” cyclone with wind speeds of 150 kilometers per hour (93 miles per hour) was on a course toward the country's south, Pakistan's disaster management agency said.