Cyclone Biparjoy: Over 64,000 people evacuated from Sindh’s coastal areas

KARACHI: More than 64,000 people living in coastal towns in Thatta, Sujawal and Badin districts have been moved to safer places before the arrival of Cyclone Biparjoy, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

On Wednesday morning, Biparjoy was in the Arabian Sea 350 kilometers (292 miles) south of Karachi, the capital of Sindh province, Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority said.

According to the stats provided by the Sindh government, 13,000 people have been evacuated from Keti Bander, 9000 people from Badin, 8300 people from low-lying areas of Sujawal and 1900 people were moved to safer places from Shaheed Fazil Rahu taluka.

Moreover, 8,300 people have been evacuated from Shahbandar and Sujawar and 5,000 persons each from Jati and Gharo, local authorities said.

Arabian Sea Cyclone Biparjoy, which has now weakened into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm, will landfall between Sindh and India’s Gujarat coast on Thursday noon or evening.

Cyclone Biparjoy has been at a distance of 340km south- southwest of Karachi, 355km south- southwest of Thatta and 275km south- southwest of Keti Bandar, Met Office said.

Maximum sustained surface winds are 150-160 Km/hour gusts 180 Km/hour around the system center and sea conditions being phenomenal around the system center with maximum wave height 30 feet.

Under the existing upper-level steering winds, cyclone Biparjoy is now likely to recurve North- northeastward and cross between Keti Bandar (Southeast Sindh) and Indian Gujarat coast on 15 June afternoon/evening as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm with packing winds of 100-120 Km/hour gusting 140 km/hour.