Biparjoy “slowed down”, won’t make landfall before nightfall in Pakistan.

KARACHI  –The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has said that the cyclone Biparjoy has made landfall along Indian Gujarat coast (Jakhau port) and Pakistan-India border with the process is expected to complete by midnight.

The weather forecast department said in its latest update on Thursday that the cyclone is at a distance of 150km from Keti Bandar, 200km from Thatta and 245km from Karachi around latitude 23.0°N and longitude 68.3°E.

“The landfall process will get complete by midnight. Maximum sustained surface winds are 100-120 Km/hour gusts 130 Km/hour around the system center and sea conditions being rough/phenomenal with maximum wave height 20-25 feet,” it added.

Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall in India’s Gujarat coast near Pakistan border late Thursday, India weather office said, as strong winds and heavy rain lashed coastal areas of the two countries.

“Landfall process is continuing and by midnight it will be completely over the land. Part of the eye (of cyclone) is over the land,” the India Meteorological Department said.

Earlier, Pakistan Climate Change Minister Senator Sherry Rehman said on Thursday cyclone Biparjoy — a very severe cyclonic storm — had slowed down and won’t make landfall before night now.

Authorities remains on high alert as the cyclone is likely to hit Sindh’s shores today (Thursday) with the local authorities bracing for “possible damage”.

“Cyclone Biparjoy has slowed down but core remains intense,” she said on Twitter. “It will not make landfall before nightfall now. More information will be shared soon from the National Disaster Management Authority.”

‼️ ALERT #CycloneBiperjoy has slowed down but core remains intense. It will not make landfall before nightfall now. More information will be shared soon from @ndmapk

— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) June 15, 2023
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, Cyclone is 230km south of Karachi, 235km south Thatta and 155km south-southwest of Keti Bandar.

The country’s coastal regions remained on high alert on Wednesday, with tens of thousands of people being evacuated to prevent the impact of the cyclone. Biparjoy is inching closer to India and Pakistan, prompting authorities to take preventive measures to minimise the damage it may cause to life and property.

The Met department’s advisory released on Wednesday night showed that Biparjoy had moved north-eastwards during the past six hours.

Taking to Twitter, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) says the cyclone is being monitored continuously and an important meeting was held at 1am on Thursday.

The cyclone will pass through Pakistan’s Keti Bandar and India’s Gujrat in afternoon.

On late Wednesday, the cyclone was about 310 kiometers south of Karachi, 300km south-southwest of Thatta and 240km south-southwest of Keti Bandar.

The cyclone is likely to reduce its strength after hitting the land, but the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has asked fishermen not to venture into the open sea until Saturday.

Still unstable and unpredictable, says NDMA chief

Minister Sherry Rehman who was flanked by NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider told a presser on Thursday that Cyclone Biparjoy had moved further from Karachi but at the same time noted that the storm was still unpredictable and unstable.

She said the cyclone’s landfall period is variable and has moved further between June 15 and 16, adding the speed and direction of the cyclone were changing every hour, adding that over 17 stations were currently monitoring it and Biparjoy was the most monitored storm in the world right now.

On Wednesday, Sindh’s Sajawal district turned more vulnerable to powerful cyclone Biparjoy after high tides triggered by gusty winds and heavy showers hit shores at Shah Bandar on Wednesday noon.

The local administration vacated several villages from Shah Bandar area after intensity of sea waves grew. Strong winds knocked electricity poles down and transportation in the area was suspended.

Thatta, Sajawal, Badin, Kotri, Matiari, Tando Allah Yar and Tando Muhammad Khan are receiving continous downpour. Huge tides are being reported along the affected coastline. There are reports that some villages in Kharo Chan have been inundated with sea water.

Catching some intensity the tropical cyclone — Biparjoy — is hardly 300 kilometres away from Karachi and 288km from Port Keti Bandar, the National Disaster Management Authority said in its latest update on Wednesday.

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfraz said the cyclone had moved north-northwestward during the last six hours.

Earlier situation

The tropical cyclone is expected to maintain a northward trajectory until Wednesday morning and then it is likely to recurve eastward and will make a landfall between Keti Bandar (Southeast Sindh Coastline) and the Indian Gujarat Coastline in the afternoon of Thursday (June 15), as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS).According to the latest NDMA forecast, tropical cyclone has weakened into a “Very Severe Cyclonic Storm” (VSCS) — Category 3, with sustained windspeeds of approximately 140-150 km/h and gusts up to 170 km/h.

On Wednesday morning, Biparjoy was located in the Arabian Sea near Latitude 21.2° N and Longitude 66.6° E, roughly 380km south of Karachi and 390km south of Thatta.

The areas likely to be affected by Cyclone Biparjoy include Thatta, Badin, Sajawal, Tharparkar, Karachi, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Hyderabad, Ormara, Tando Allah Yar and Tando Mohammad Khan.