Cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ to become extremely severe storm today

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said that the very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS) 'Biparjoy' located over the east-central Arabian Sea will intensify into an extremely severe cyclonic storm within the next six hours.

According to IMD, the VSCS 'Biparjoy' is likely to move nearly northwards and reach near Pakistan and adjoining Saurashtra and Kutch coasts on Thursday.

IMD's latest tweet read, "VSCS BIPARJOY lay centered at 2330IST of today, near lat 17.4N and long 67.3E, about 600 km WSW of Mumbai, 530 km S-SW of Porbandar & 830 km S of Karachi. To intensify further and likely to reach near Pakistan & adjoining Saurashtra & Kutch coast around A/N of 15th June as VSCS."

In a bulletin, IMD stated, "The very severe cyclonic storm "Biparjoy" (pronounced as "Biporjoy") over eastcentral Arabian Sea moved nearly northwards with a speed of 5 kmph during past 6-hours and lay centered at 2330 hours IST of 10 June, 2023 over the same region near latitude 17.4°N and longitude 67.3°E, about 600 km west-southwest of Mumbai,530 km south-southwest of Porbandar, 580 km south-southwest of Dwarka, 670 km south-southwest of Naliya and 830 km south of Karachi."

The IMD categorises a system as a Cyclonic Storm when its 3-minute average maximum sustained wind speeds fall between 63-88 kmph. Similarly, a severe cyclonic storm has winds between 89-117 kmph, a very severe cyclonic storm between 118-165 kmph, and an extremely severe cyclonic storm between 166-220 kmph. Wind speeds above 221 kmph give rise to a super cyclone.

Here are the latest updates:

Heat wave conditions continued in Rajasthan on Saturday while rains lashed parts of the state, according to the local MeT department. Rains are likely to lash part of the state next week due to cyclone 'Biparjoy'. Southern and western parts of Rajasthan may witness showers on 14-15 June. There is also a possibility of rain along with thunderstorms in the districts of Jodhpur and Udaipur.

Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and other coastal regions were put on alert on Saturday after meteorologists warned that 'Biparjoy' over the Arabian sea would intensify over the next 24 hours. After high waves were observed at Tithal Beach in Valsad on the Arabian Sea coast, it has been closed to tourists until 14 June.

Authorities also instructed fishing communities on Saturday to halt operations for the next five days in the eastern and central Arabian sea, and along the Indian Saurastra and Kutch region.

IMD has warned of heavy rainfall at isolated places in Kerala and coastal Karnataka in next three days. Monsoon showers were expected to arrive in Kerala on June 4, but the formation of 'Biparjoy' delayed it.

Heavy rains swept through Pakistan's northwest, causing several houses to collapse and leaving at least 25 people dead and 145 injured, authorities said. Rain and hail hit the Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Karak districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif ordered officials to put in place emergency measures in advance of the approaching Cyclone Biparjoy in the Arabian Sea. The "severe and intense" cyclone with wind speeds of 150 kilometers per hour (93 miles per hour) was on a course toward the country's south, Pakistan's disaster management agency said.

The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) has issued a 'red alert' and emergency guidelines as the VSCS Biparjoy over the east-central Arabian Sea continues to maintain its intensity. In a statement, the KPT suspended shipping activities and banned double-bunking of ships at the Karachi International Container Terminal, the ARY News reported.