India: A cyclone named Biparjoy has intensified off India’s western coast and is expected to make landfall between Mandvi in Gujarat, India, and Karachi in Pakistan, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The cyclone has maximum sustained winds of 125-135 kmph (78-84 mph), with gusts up to 150 kmph (93 mph). The IMD has issued advisories for fishing communities to suspend operations and for the evacuation of people from coastal areas in Gujarat’s Saurashtra and Kutch regions.

The potential impact of the cyclone has led to the suspension of operations at major ports like Mundra and Kandla, as well as the Jamnagar refinery, the world’s largest oil refinery complex. The Gujarat Pipavav Port Limited also announced the suspension of operations due to severe weather conditions.

To prepare for the cyclone, India has deployed seven teams of the National Disaster Response Force and twelve teams of the State Disaster Response Force in the expected affected districts. Gujarat Chief Minister Mr. Bhupendra Patel stated that nearly a dozen districts in coastal Gujarat would experience heavy rainfall and strong winds, but the damage is expected to be limited in sparsely populated areas.

In Pakistan, the National Disaster Management Authority has instructed precautionary measures in the southern and southeastern parts of the country. The Sindh provincial government is also preparing for evacuations in three districts likely to be affected. Sindh, which is the second most populated province in Pakistan, experienced the devastating 1999 Keti Bandar cyclone, resulting in significant loss of life.

While the cyclone has delayed the onset of the annual monsoon over Kerala in southern India, the weather office predicts favourable conditions for much-needed rainfall in parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu states.

Both India and Pakistan have experienced the destructive impact of cyclones in the past, with Gujarat and Sindh being particularly vulnerable regions. Authorities are working to ensure the safety of residents and mitigate potential damage as Biparjoy approaches the coast.

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