Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik, Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authorities (NDMA), said Tuesday that around 100,000 people will be relocated to safer areas by tomorrow evening to ensure the safety of those living in the country’s coastal belt ahead of the very severe cyclonic system (VSCS) Biparjoy.
The NDMA chairman’s statements came during a press conference in the federal capital on the plan put in place to protect civilians ahead of the storm’s projected landfall on Pakistan’s coast on June 15.
“Measures to control the storm’s effects and weather damage are in progress,” Malik said.
“The Sindh government has been notified, as have non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and relief camp medical missions in Balochistan,” he added.
Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman stated at the same press conference that “the storm is now heading towards Balochistan,” adding that the government is in daily contact with the NDMA.
“The storm will undoubtedly hit Keti Bandar, but the NDMA is closely monitoring the situation,” she said.
However, the climate minister informed the public that the government has begun to take precautionary measures to keep citizens safe.
“Keti Bandar, Thatta, and Badin, amongst others, will be affected,” Rehman warned, adding that all rescue missions and agencies have been placed on high alert.
“Victims of the previous floods are still suffering,” she bemoaned, “and now this has come.”
Rehman warned in a tweet earlier today that, despite the storm’s reduction from “extremely severe” to “very severe,” urban flooding is expected in Karachi due to the volume and severity of the winds.
She went on to say, “So far, over 40,000 people have been evacuated, and 43 relief camps have been established.”
According to the most recent Pakistan Meteorologist Department (PMD) advisory, the cyclone is presently located approximately 470 kilometers south of Karachi, 460 kilometers south of Thatta, near Latitude 20.7°N and Longitude 67.1°E.
