PMD’s fresh warning records distance of about 370km south-southwest of Karachi
KARACHI
In a fresh alert issued on Wednesday afternoon, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that the very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS) Biparjoy has changed its direction moving further away from Karachi.
“Under the existing upper-level steering winds, the VSCS Biparjoy started to recurve North-northeastward and [will] likely cross between Keti Bandar (Southeast Sindh) and Indian Gujarat coast on the evening of June 15 as a VSCS with packing winds of 100-120 Km/hour gusting 140 km/hour,” stated the Met department.
“PMD’s cyclone warning center, Karachi is continuously monitoring the system and will issue update accordingly,” it added.
Notably, while the alert issued at 11:50am this morning reported the cyclone to be about 340km south-southwest of Karachi, 355km south-southwest Thatta and 275km south-southwest of Keti Bandar, the fresh warning recorded the distance of about 370km south-southwest of Karachi, 355km south-southwest Thatta and 290km south-southwest of Keti Bandar.
According to the PMD, presently the maximum sustained surface winds stand at 150-160 Km/hour gusts with 180 Km/hour around the system centre. Meanwhile, sea conditions have been recorded as being phenomenal around the system centre with a maximum wave height of 30 feet.
The favourable environmental conditions (sea surface temperature of 29-30°C, low vertical wind shear and upper-level divergence) are in support to sustain its strength through the forecast period.
Earlier today, light rain was reported from some areas in Karachi as rain bands and strong winds approached Karachi as the cyclone continued to make its way to Sindh’s coastal areas.
Rain was also been reported in Gharo, Keti Bandar and adjoining areas in Thatta district.
The VSCS of Category 3 is expected to make landfall tomorrow (Thursday) evening between Karachi and Mandvi in India’s Gujarat, with winds of approximately 140-150 kilometres per hour (km/h) and gusts up to 170 km/h.
According to the latest forecast, the cyclone is expected to maintain a northward trajectory until the morning of June 14 and then it is likely to re-curve eastward and make its landfall between Keti Bandar in Thatta district and the Indian Gujarat coastline.
The areas likely to be impacted include Thatta, Badin, Sajawal, Tharparkar, Karachi, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Hyderabad, Ormara, Tando Allahyar and Tando Mohammad Khan, according to weather experts.
Speaking to journalists today, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman said that ‘right now Pakistan’s coastline is clearly earmarked for landfall, particularly an area called Keti Bandar, part of the district of Thatta which is located near the tip of the Sir Creek area.”
“We are now looking at June 15, which is tomorrow, for actual landfall in that area. The trajectory for Cyclone Biparjoy that we have projected is on path. It is going north-east and it seems that it will take a hard right even further east which means it will go past the megacity of Karachi with a very high population density,” the minister told reporters.
She said that through these projections the government will be able to plot how far the evacuations currently underway need to be carried. “We have already instituted 75 evacuation camps in the coastal areas and we have already moved populations of about 62,000 over the last two days.
“Evacuations which are peaceful yet mandatory have been ongoing. There will be voluntary evacuations in the city of Karachi which is not directly in the eye of the storm like the coastal areas but it is certainly going to feel the brunt of high-velocity winds and rainfall.
“There is always a fallout from such heavy cyclonic activity so in all our cities in the south, the government of Sindh is making sure that they are bracing for this shock,” she added. “We have prepared well in time, despite restricted resources.”
Expressing her gratitude towards all the international satellite centres for their support to the government, the minister said that a “concerted and coordinated effort is being led by the government of Sindh, the federal government as well as that of Balochistan that is being supported by all our military and Rangers”.
