Evacuations begin in Pakistani coastal towns, islands as severe cyclone inches closer

A fisherman stands on the deck of a boat, which is anchored with other fishing boats, after a ban was imposed on coastal activities following the cyclonic storm, Biparjoy, over the Arabian Sea, at Karachi Fish Harbour, in Karachi, Pakistan June 12, 2023. (Photo courtesy: REUTERS)

• Storm off India’s west coast has strengthened to become a powerful cyclone
• Could hit India’s western state of Gujarat, southern parts of Pakistan this week

KARACHI: The government in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province kicked off an evacuation drive in coastal villages and islands as a storm off India’s west coast has strengthened to become a powerful cyclone and could hit parts of India and Pakistan this week.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Cyclone Biparjoy is projected to pass between Keti Bandar in Pakistan’s Sindh province and the Indian Gujarat coast on the afternoon of Thursday, June 15.
The extremely severe cyclonic storm (ESCS) has continued to drift toward the Pakistani coastline in Sindh and southwestern Balochistan provinces, putting multiple key ports and cities at risk.
“The deputy commissioners of the coastal belt have been issued instructions to evacuate around 50,000 people, which amounts to 9,000 families, by tomorrow evening,” Syed Salman Shah, Director General of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority Sindh, told Arab News.
“Currently, several thousand people from the areas around Keti Bandar and nearby islands have been evacuated. The deputy commissioners of Thatta and Sujawal districts have been instructed regarding the 100 percent evacuation of the coastal areas that may be submerged by water.”
Separately, heavy rains swept through Pakistan’s northwest on the weekend, causing several houses to collapse and leaving at least 27 people dead and 145 injured.
Last year, monsoon rains and flooding devastated Pakistan, killing more than 1,700 people, affecting around 33 million people and displacing nearly 8 million.