Cyclone of Extreme Severity According to the PMD’s cyclone warning centre, Biparjoy has moved farther north and is presently 600 km south of Karachi.
The “extremely severe cyclonic storm” ‘Biparjoy’ has developed and is expected to impact south-southeast Sindh and India’s neighboring Gujarat coast. The exact location of the cyclone’s landfall will be determined in the coming days.
Having moved northward during the last 12 hours, the cyclone is now located near Latitude 19.5°N and Longitude 67.7°E, approximately 600 kilometers south of Karachi, 580 kilometers south of Thatta, and 710 kilometers southeast of Ormara.
Maximum sustained surface winds are 160-180 km/h, with gusts reaching 200 km/h around the system centre, and sea conditions are rough, with maximum wave heights of 35-40 feet.
According to the Met Office, the cyclonic storm Biparjoy is most likely to track further North until the 14 June morning, then recurve Northeastward and cross between Keti Bandar (Southeast Sindh) and the Indian Gujarat coast as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) on 15 June afternoon.
Widespread Rainfall
With its expected approach to the southeast Sindh coast, widespread wind-dust/thunderstorm rain with some hefty falls is expected in Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparker, Mirpurkhas, and Umerkot districts from June 13 to June 17.
Dust/thunderstorm rain with a few heavy falls and squally winds of 60-80 km/h are expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allayar, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Sanghar districts from the 14th to the 16th of June.
Winds of high intensity can cause damage to sensitive buildings such as solar panels.
Storm surges of 3-3.5 metres (8-12 feet) are forecast near the land’s edge (Keti Bandar and surrounding areas), which could inundate low-lying towns.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into open sea till the system is over by 17 June, as the Arabian Sea conditions may get very rough accompanied by high tides along the coast.
