Over 150,000 individuals in India and Pakistan have been evacuated from the trajectory of a fierce cyclone, Biparjoy, which is anticipated to make landfall on Thursday.
The name of the cyclone, which means “disaster” in Bengali, is a foreboding indication of the potential destruction it could cause to homes and crops in its path.
The Gujarat state in India is expected to be the first to experience the impact of Biparjoy on Thursday evening, according to meteorologists.
From the state’s coast showed heavy rains, high tides and rough seas.
The cyclone is expected to make landfall near the Jakhau port between Mandvi in Gujarat and Keti Bandar in Pakistan’s Sindh province between 16:00, 10.30 GMT, and 20:00 local time.
Pakistan’s disaster management agency warned of storm surges as high as 3-4m (10-13ft) along the coastline from Karachi to India’s Gujarat.
Gujarat’s Relief Commissioner Alok Pandey said the cyclone’s speed had reduced but its winds speed were expected to be around 110-12 km/h at the time of landfall, which he called “very dangerous.”
India’s weather office warned that the cyclone will damage roads, thatched houses, and uproot electricity towers and trees along Gujarat’s coast.
The state’s health minister, Rushikesh Patel, asked people to stay where they were and avoid travelling. “Our aim is to ensure zero casualties,” he said.
At least seven deaths were reported amid heavy rains in India this week.
The victims included two children crushed by a collapsing wall, and a woman hit by a falling tree while riding a motorbike. Reports said.
In Pakistan, the storm is expected to strike the coast of Sindh province. Authorities have already evacuated 81,000 people from the south-eastern coast and set up 75 relief camps at schools.
Pakistan’s climate change minister Sherry Rehman said that Karachi, the province’s largest city with a population of more than 20 million, was not under immediate threat but emergency measures were being taken.
Meteorologists warned that high tides could inundate low-lying areas along the coasts.
Several parts of coastal Gujarat have witnessed heavy rains and high-speed winds since Wednesday.
On Thursday morning, “strong winds and rough sea conditions” were reported in Mandvi.
The Jakhau Port, usually bustling with activity, wore a deserted look because the entire village near the shoreline has been relocated.
According to authorities, numerous train services have been suspended in Gujarat, and the ports of Kandla and Mundra, two of India’s largest, have ceased operations due to the impending cyclone.
Fishing activities have also come to a halt along the Gujarat coast, and fishermen in Pakistan’s coastal region have been advised to avoid the water.
To aid in relief efforts, six national disaster relief teams have been dispatched to key areas in the Kutch region of Gujarat. Their primary objective is to ensure that essential services remain unaffected or are restored as soon as possible, depending on the severity of the cyclone.
The India Meteorological Department predicts that Biparjoy will lose intensity after crossing.
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