Cyclone Biparjoy completes landfall in India's Gujarat, largely spares Pakistan

KARACHI: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Friday that cyclone Biparjoy has completed landfall on the Indian Gujarat coast and is currently 125 km southwest of Keti Bandar.

The storm is expected to weaken first to a cyclonic storm and then to a depression by today’s evening, the NDMA said.

“It is expected to move north-eastward and weaken into a cyclonic storm by morning 16 June and further weaken into a depression by evening 16 June,” the NDMA said.

#CycloneBiparjoy has completed landfall in Indian Gujrat. Pakistan was prepared but largely spared the full force. Sindh’s coastal areas like Sujawal were inundated by high sea levels, but most ppl had been evacuated to safe ground. Thank u to all partners in a stellar… pic.twitter.com/2nVz14uuQO

— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) June 16, 2023

The cyclone came ashore as a Category 1 storm and Pakistan’s coastal areas, including Karachi, remained largely spared.

In the latest advisory, the Met department said that VSCS Biparjoy over northeast Arabian Sea has crossed the Indian Gujarat coast (Jakhau port) and adjoining Pakistan-India border near Latitude 23.3°N & Longitude 68.5°E at a distance of 135km from Keti Bandar, 160km from Thatta & 220km from Karachi.

“The associated maximum sustained surface winds are 100-120 Km/hour gusting 130 Km/hour with sea conditions being rough/very rough in Northeast Arabian Sea with wave height 10-15 feet,” it added.

Possible impacts

• Widespread rain-thunderstorm with some heavy/very heavy falls accompanied with squally winds of 80- 100Km/hour likely in Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparker, Mirpurkhas & Umerkot districts till 17 June.
• Dust/thunderstorm-rain with a few heavy falls & accompanied with gusty winds of 30-50 Km/hour likely in Karachi, Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allayar, Shaheed Benazirabad & Sanghar districts tonight and tomorrow.
• Squally winds may cause damage to loose & vulnerable structures (Kutcha houses) in Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparker and Umerkot districts.
• Storm surge of 2-2.5 meters (6-8 feet) expected along Keti Bandar & surrounding which can inundate the low-lying areas.
• Sea conditions along Sindh-Makran coast likely to be rough/ very rough (with 2-2.5 meter tide).
• Fishermen are advised not to venture in open sea till the system is over by 17 June.

Earlier, weather officials had said that the cyclone was expected to move overnight into Pakistan’s Sindh province, home to the port megacity of Karachi.