Cyclone Biparjoy: Climate minister warns of urban flooding in Karachi

KARACHI: Amid continuous warnings regarding cyclone Biparjoy, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman on Tuesday warned that Karachi “will likely” face urban flooding given the scale and intensity of the winds.

Taking to Twitter, the senator wrote: “Biparjoy Cyclone is real. Without panicking, people need to take PDMA Sindh and PDMA Balochistan advisories seriously for the coastal areas.

#BiparjoyCyclone is real. Without panicking, people need to take @pdmasindhpk and @PDMABalochistan advisories seriously for the coastal areas. So far it has reduced intensity only for Balochistan side am told but it is highly unpredictable so please do NOT take it casually. It… pic.twitter.com/TN5GjpzqDJ

— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) June 13, 2023

“So far it has reduced intensity only for [the] Balochistan side am told but it is highly unpredictable so please do NOT take it casually.

“It is varying in intensity but caution is crucial, esp near the Sindh coast. Karachi will likely face urban flooding given the scale & intensity of winds. Precautionary evacuations in Seaview areas have begun. We will keep you updated,” she added.

Rain likely in Karachi today

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Tuesday predicted moderate to heavy rainfall in Karachi on Tuesday evening as Cyclone Biparjoy moved closer to Pakistan’s coast.

According to the PMD, the maximum temperature in Karachi might touch 38 to 40 degrees today with chances of heavy showers in some areas of the metropolis.

As per the latest Met Office advisory, the cyclonic storm now lies near Latitude 20.7°N and Longitude 67.1°E at a distance of about 470km south of Karachi and 460km south of Thatta.

Maximum sustained surface winds are 140-150 Km/hour gusts 170 Km/hour around the system center and sea conditions are very rough around the system center with maximum wave height 30 feet.

Under the existing upper-level steering winds, Cyclone Biparjoy is most likely to track further Northward until 14 June morning, then recurve Northeastward and cross between Keti Bandar (Southeast Sindh) and Indian Gujarat coast on 15 June afternoon/evening with packing winds of 100-120Km/hour.

Possible impacts

With its probable approach to the southeast Sindh coast, widespread wind-dust/thunderstorm rain with some very heavy/extremely heavy falls accompanied by squally (high intensity) winds of 80-100Km/hour gusting 120km/hour likely in Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparker, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts from today to 17 June.

Dust/thunderstorm-rain with few heavy falls and accompanied squally winds of 60-80 Km/hour likely in Karachi, Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Shaheed Benazirabad and Sanghar districts from 14 June (tomorrow) to 16 June.

High-intensity winds may cause damage to vulnerable structures, katcha houses, solar panels, billboards etc.

Storm surge of 3-3.5 meters (8-12 feet) expected at the land falling point (Keti Bandar and around), which can inundate the low-lying settlements.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture in open sea till the cyclonic system is over by 17 June, as the Arabian Sea conditions may get very rough accompanied with high tides along the coast.