New Delhi: India and Pakistan braced for the first severe cyclone this year expected to hit their coastal regions later this week.
Local authorities on Monday halted fishing activities, deployed rescue personnel and announced evacuation plans for those at risk.
From the Arabian Sea, Cyclone Biparjoy is aiming at Pakistan’s southern Sindh province and the coastline of the western Indian state of Gujarat. It is forecast to make landfall this Thursday and could reach maximum wind speeds of up to 200 kph (124 mph), according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department.
Disaster management personnel have been deployed to densely populated regions and cities that will be in the storm’s path. The cyclone will likely affect Karachi in Pakistan as well as two of India’s largest ports, Mundra and Kandla, in Gujarat state.
Biparjoy is the first severe cyclone to hit Pakistan since the devastating floods in 2022 that left 1,739 people dead and $30 billion in losses.
Experts say climate change is leading to an increase in cyclones in the Arabian Sea region, which requires urgent preparations for natural disasters.
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