Cyclone Biparjoy near Keti Bandar, 230km south of Karachi

The Arabian Sea Cyclone Biparjoy is located 155 kilometres south-southwest of Keti Bandar, 230 kilometres south of Karachi, and 235 kilometres south of Thatta.

This evening, a cyclonic storm will make landfall in India between Keti Bandar (Southeast Sindh) and the Gujarat coast.

Maximum sustained surface winds are 120-140 km/h, with gusts up to 150 km/h around the system’s core. “The sea conditions are phenomenal around the system centre, with maximum wave heights of 25-30 feet,” according to the Met Office.

The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Biparjoy over the northeast Arabian Sea has travelled north-northeastward in the previous 06 hours and is presently located in Latitude 22.8°N & Longitude 67.0°E, approximately 230 kilometres south of Karachi, 235 kilometres south of Thatta, and 155 kilometres south-southwest of Keti Bandar.

“Under the current upper-level steering winds, the cyclonic storm is likely to continue tracking northeastward and cross between Keti Bandar (Southeast Sindh) and the Indian Gujarat coast 15 June evening (today) as a very severe cyclonic storm with packing winds of 100-120 km/h gusting 140 km/h.”

With its likely approach to the southeast Sindh coast, widespread wind-dust/thunderstorm rain with some very heavy/extremely heavy falls and high-intensity winds of 100-120km/h gusting 140km/h are expected in the districts of Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparker, Mirpurkhas, and Umerkot from June 15-17.

On and tomorrow, dust/thunderstorm rain with a few heavy falls and squally winds of 60-80 km/h are expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Sanghar districts.

On Thursday and Friday, dust/thunderstorm rain with isolated heavy falls is expected in the Balochistan districts of Hub, Lasbella, and Khuzdar.

The high winds may cause damage to loose and susceptible structures (Kutcha homes), including solar panels, among other things.

A storm surge of 3-4 metres (10-13 feet) is forecast at landfall (Keti Bandar and surrounding areas), which might inundate low-lying towns.

The sea conditions around the Sindh coast can be quite rough and high (2-2.5 metres) and rough to very rough (two metres) near the Balochistan coast (Sonmiani, Hub, Kund Malir, Ormara, and neighbouring areas).

Fishermen have been advised not to venture in open sea till the cyclonic system is over by 17 June.

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