Karachi’s Hawkesbay cordoned off; Sherry says evacuations from coastal areas ‘not optional’, urges public to follow govt advice; Dastagir warns of increased power outage
Cyclone Biparjoy, which is expected to make landfall today between Keti Bandar in Sindh and Kutch in Indian Gujarat, was at a distance of about 370km from Karachi on Wednesday afternoon as it made a turn northeastward.
Sherry Rehman says public safety govt’s first priority; says people in at-risk areas would be forced to evacuate as there is “no other option”
Power minister says cyclone has disrupted RLNG supply, which will affect electricity supply CAA refutes reports of airport closing, warns of possible disruption in flight schedules Sindh minister Sharjeel Memon says over 67,000 people have been evacuated from vulnerable areas; Hawkesbay cordoned off.
India’s weather office warns of severe damage
The latest alert issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department around 3:30pm on Wednesday said the cyclone was at a distance of about 370km south-southwest of Karachi, 355km south-southwest Thatta and 290km south-southwest of Keti Bandar.
“Maximum sustained surface winds are 150-160km/hour, gusts 180km/hour around the system centre and sea conditions being phenomenal around the system centre with maximum wave height [of] 30 feet,” the alert said.
It added that under the existing upper-level steering winds, the “very severe cyclonic storm” had started to recurve north-northeastward and was expected cross between Keti Bandar and the Indian Gujarat coast in the evening on June 15, packing winds of 100-120km/h.
It further said that widespread wind-dust/thunderstorm-rain and some very heavy/ extremely heavy falls were likely in Sindh’s Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts during June 14-17. These areas could also experience squally winds blowing at 80-100km/hour.
