Islamabad (Pakistan): The coastal regions of Pakistan were on high alert with over 67,000 people being evacuated to safer places in the southern Sindh province ahead of Cyclone Biparjoy's expected landfall on Thursday, which is likely to bring heavy rain and cause flooding in several cities.
According to information shared by the Sindh Chief Minister House, 67,367 people have been evacuated from the three vulnerable districts of Thatta, Sujawal and Badin so far, where 39 relief camps have been set up. Officials said that about half of the evacuated people have been kept in the relief camps while others have opted to live with their relatives in safe areas.
Pakistan Climate Energy Minister Sherry Rehman on Wednesday said that Cyclone Biparjoy will hit Sindh's Keti Bandar on Thursday at 11 am (local time), Pakistan-based Geo News reported. While addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday, Sherry Rehman spoke regarding the cyclone hitting Sindh on Thursday.
Sherry Rehman urged the people to cooperate with authorities. She said that all rescue agencies are prepared for relief operations. Rehman further said, "The true form of the cyclone will be known tomorrow," Geo News reported. Pakistan Climate Minister said Thatta, Sujawal, Badin and Tharparkar districts will be hit the hardest by the cyclone.
She further said that Biparjoy is moving away from Karachi and added that cyclone has forced the authorities to suspend small aircraft operations in Pakistan. She said that operations of commercial flights will be suspended as the cyclone drew closer to Pakistan. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) in its latest update said that Cyclone Biparjoy over the northeast Arabian Sea has moved nearly northeastward in the past six hours.
Energy Minister Khurram Dastgir also alerted citizens about a temporary decline in RLNG-based (Re-Gasified Liquefied Natural Gas-based) electricity generation and temporary increase in load-shedding due to the cyclone disrupting RLNG shipping to Pakistan. The minister also warned that the cyclone could affect the power transmission system in the coastal areas of Karachi and other parts of Sindh.
PMD said that Cyclone Biparjoy now lies near latitude 22.1°N and longitude 66.9°E at a distance of about 310 kilometres south of Karachi, 300km south-southwest Thatta and 240km south-southwest of Keti Bandar, Geo News reported. It further 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."
According to PMD, favourable environmental conditions are in support to sustain the Cyclone strength through the forecast period. Under the existing upper-level steering winds, the cyclone is likely to keep tracking Northeastward and cross between Keti Bandar and India's Gujarat coast on Thursday evening with packing winds of 100-120km per hour and gusting 140km per hour.
While addressing the Pakistan National Assembly, Sherry Rehman said that all tracking institutions of Pakistan, including PMD and Suparco are working with international satellites as Cyclone Biparjoy is inching closer to Pakistan's coastline, Geo News reported. She further said the cyclone could impact the coastal areas of Karachi with landfalls and gusty winds and was going away from Balochistan. (ANI)
