Arabian Sea: Biparjoy intensifies into severe cyclonic storm

KARACHI: The first storm of the cyclonic season in the Arabian Sea this year, Cyclone Biparjoy, has rapidly intensified into a severe cyclonic storm in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, according to weather reports.

The cyclonic storm was 1,370 km south of Karachi, an early morning report said. Weather reports said that the storm has been undergoing rapid intensification.

Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD) Cyclone Warning System last night reported that the Depression over the southeast Arabian Sea has intensified into a Cyclonic Storm “ Biparjoy” and lies near Latitude 12.3°N & Longitude 66.0°E about 1420km south of Karachi.

Maximum sustained surface winds are 60-70 Km/hour gust 80 Km/hour around the system center. “The system is likely to intensify further into a Severe Cyclonic Storm during next 24/36 hours and continue to move in north/northwest direction, PMD said.

The PMD clarified that none of the Pakistan coastal area was under any threat. The Met Office has also cautioned concerned authorities to remain alert.

“Cyclonic storm Biparjoy over east-central and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea moved nearly northwards with a speed of two kmph during the last six hours, intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and lay centred over the same region at 0530 hours, about 890 km west-southwest of Goa, 1,000 km southwest of Mumbai, 1,070 km south-southwest of Porbandar and 1,370 km south of Karachi,” Indian media reported in an update at around 8:30 am local time.

It is pertinent to mention here that the name of the cyclone Biparjoy is given by Bangladesh, which means ‘disaster’ in Bengali.