More Than 150,000 Evacuated As India, Pakistan Brace For Cyclone Storm

More than 150,000 people in India and Pakistan have been evacuated from the path of a fierce cyclone before its expected landfall on Thursday.

Forecasters have warned that Cyclone Biparjoy – which means “disaster” in Bengali – could destroy homes and crops in its path.

Biparjoy is expected to first hit India’s Gujarat state on Thursday evening local time.

Visuals 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.

High Tides
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.

“Several train services have been suspended in Gujarat, while the ports of Kandla and Mundra – two of India’s largest – have stopped operations,” authorities said.

Fishing has stopped along the Gujarat coast, while ‘fishermen’ in Pakistan’s coastal region have also been warned to stay off the water.

Six national disaster relief teams have been deployed in ‘key areas’ in the Kutch region of Gujarat for relief work. They will focus on ensuring that essential services remain unaffected or at least restored soon, depending on the cyclone’s intensity.

The India Meteorological Department expects Biparjoy to “fall in intensity” after crossing.

BBC/ Shakirat Sadiq