Cyclone Biparjoy slowed down, won’t make landfall before nightfall: Pakistan minister

• Cyclone has “slowed down”; its core still “intense”, says minister.
• Biparjoy lies 230km south of Karachi, 235km south Thatta.
• It has now become longest-lived cyclone in the Arabian sea.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Senator Sherry Rehman said on Thursday that cyclone Biparjoy had “slowed down” and will not make landfall before nightfall now.

Previously, it was forecast that the cyclone would hit the shore around the evening. 

However, the climate minister warned that while the cyclone had “slowed down”, its core was still “intense”.   

Taking to Twitter, she wrote: “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.” 

As both India and Pakistan gear up for the impact of the cyclone, which could devastate homes and tear down power lines, authorities in both countries are on high alert, prompting authorities to evacuate over 100,000 people in both nations.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said that the cyclone, classified as a very severe cyclonic storm, has moved north-northeastward during the last 6 hours and now lies at a distance of about 230 kilometres south of Karachi, 235 kilometres south of Thatta, and 155 kilometres south-southwest of Keti Bandar.

As winds are expected to blow at 160 kilometres per hour, sea conditions around the system center are phenomenal, with a maximum wave height of 30 feet, the disaster management authority said.

The NDMA mentioned that when the cyclone hits Keti Bandar in southeast Sindh, it will pack winds of 100-120 kilometres per hour, gusting 140 kilometres per hour.

Indian weather expert Mahesh Palawat said Biparjoy had become the longest-lived cyclone in the Arabian Sea. The cyclone has entered its ninth day; the previous record (below eight days) was made in 1998.

‘Lives at risk’

In a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday, Rehman said authorities are trying to evacuate masses to safer places, and it’s the only remedy related to cyclones worldwide.

“The accompanied activities alongwith the cyclone can put people’s lives at risk,” the minister warned.

The minister noted that the Umerkot area was also under the impact of the cyclone, whereas the expected impacted areas also included Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, and Tharparkar.

The minister said that rain and thunderstorms are expected, and a forecast of 110mm, a conservative estimate of rainfall for Karachi and 330mm for Thatta, has been projected.

In Karachi, she said the people were going to the seashore to watch the cyclone. “People should avoid disaster tourism and avoid making TikTok videos. They should not put their lives and families at risk,” she added.

Suspensions

In the same press conference, the climate change minister said that due to cyclone Biparjoy, the authorities had been forced to suspend small aircraft operations in the metropolis.

The climate minister said commercial flight operations would be suspended as the cyclone drew closer to the country.

In line with the directions from the federal government, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) Limited Wednesday suspended gas supply to all industries — including their units for power generation, fertiliser sector, and CNG stations.

In a statement, the SSGC stated that the decision has been taken in the backdrop of the possible striking of cyclone Biparjoy and considering the shortage of natural gas and re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG).

“The gas supply has been suspended until further notice from 7:00am today (Wednesday) morning,” read the statement.

Energy Minister Khurram Dastagir has arrived in Karachi to monitor the electricity situation.