The Tropical Cyclone “BIPARJOY” has intensified into an “Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm” (ESCS) – Category 3, with sustained windspeeds of approximately 160-180 kilometers per hour (km/h) and gusts up to 200 km/h.
According to the National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) situation report, the cyclone’s current location is near Latitude 19.5° N and Longitude 67.7° E, roughly 600 km south of Karachi and 580 km south of Thatta.
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According to the latest forecast, tropical cyclone Biparjoy is expected to maintain a Northward trajectory until the morning of June 14, 2023, 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 June 15, 2023, as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS).
The areas likely to be affected include Thatta, Badin, Sajawal, Tharparkar, Karachi, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Hyderabad, Tando Allah Yar Khan and Tando Mohammad Khan.
These findings have been developed by NEOC Technical team using international and national models (PMD, NASA, PDC & UKM, IMD, BOM-A, and ECMWF).
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In an advisory issued by the spokesperson for NDMA said according to the latest information gathered through monitoring of International forecasting models, Tropical Cyclone BIPARJOY, which was currently a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) would likely to intensify into an Extreme Severe Cyclonic Storm (ESCS) in next 24 hours.
“It is located at 840 km south of Karachi and moving north-northeastward with winds of 130-140 km/h and gusts of 150 km/h. PMD reported that it is likely to follow one of three tracks and impact coastal areas of Pakistan,” it said.
The potential impacts included heavy rains, thunderstorms and winds in south and southeast Sindh (Karachi, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparkar & Mirpurkhas) from evening of 13 June onwards; damage to weak structures due to winds; storm surge and urban flooding along the coast and rough to very rough sea conditions with high-intensity squalls that will prevent fishermen from venturing out into the open sea.