ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Saturday alerted authorities in the Sindh and Balochistan provinces as a “very severe cyclonic storm” intensified above the Arabian Sea over the last 12 hours, laying at a distance of about 910 kilometers from Pakistan’s commercial hub of Karachi.
The Arabian Sea, which borders the country’s southern coastline, is susceptible to such weather systems. This week, a deep depression over the sea intensified into a cyclonic storm, Cyclone Biparjoy, with waves rising as high as about 28 feet.
“The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) ‘BIPARJOY’ over east-central Arabian Sea maintaining its intensity further tracked north-northeastward during past 12 hours and now lies near Latitude 16.7°N & Longitude 66.4°E at a distance of about 910km south of Karachi, 890km south of Thatta, and 990km southeast of Ormara,” the PMD said in a statement on Saturday.
The favorable environmental conditions at the sea are intensifying the cyclone, but there is uncertainty regarding its direction owing to a shift in the upper-level steering winds of the storm, according to the global models’ final track forecast, with some experts saying it was heading to the Makran-North Oman coast while others indicating that it was moving toward the Indian Gujrat-Sindh coast.
“Given this uncertainty, the system is predicted to keep tracking further north/northeastward during the next 18-24 hours and then slightly recurve to the north-northwest,” the PMD said, adding its cyclone warning center in Karachi was monitoring the system and would issue an update accordingly.
In a Twitter post, the Met Office also said that while the coastal areas of Pakistan were “not under threat” at the moment, it advised fishermen not to venture into the open sea from June 11 onward until the system is over as the Arabian Sea conditions could get “very rough,” with high tides along the coast.
On Friday, Pakistan’s National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC) said the country’s coastal areas had “no major threats” from Biparjoy that was hovering over the Arabian Sea.
“There are currently no major threats to coastal areas in Pakistan. However, the cyclonic system may intensify further due to favorable environmental conditions,” the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported, citing the NEOC.
“It has slightly changed course and is moving in a north-northeast direction, possibly drifting toward the Makran Coast of Pakistan.”
The development came hours after Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman said the country’s coastal areas were likely to witness the impact of the cyclone, previously thought to be moving toward Oman.
“Of ‘Persistent intensity’ it is tracked as slowly moving in north-northeast direction, and may drift north-westwards toward Pakistan’s Makran Coast. The environmental conditions supporting the system may intensify further,” the minister said in a Twitter post.
“Fishermen are advised not to venture out into the open sea from Monday, 12 June onwards until the system has passed over the Arabian Sea,” she added. “Conditions at sea may get very rough accompanied with high tides along the coast.”
The developing situation was continuously being monitored in the NEOC, according to the report. The NDMA chief instructed the provincial disaster management authorities to conduct a local-level assessment of needs, deploy manpower and machinery, and work closely with all departments.
During the meeting, officials from the Sindh and Balochistan provinces that are home to the Makran Coast also shared progress on mass communication efforts, assessment and logistics support for areas at risk from the cyclone.
