India, Pakistan brace for ‘Biparjoy’

Coastal states of India and neighbouring Pakistan were on alert yesterday after meteorologists warned that a cyclonic storm over the Arabian sea would intensify over the next 24 hours.

Indian authorities have told fishing communities to halt operations for the next five days in the eastern and central Arabian sea, and along the Indian Saurastra and Kutch region.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), which categorised Biparjoy as a "very severe storm", said at 08:30 am IST (0300 GMT) yesterday that the weather system was centred about 620 kilometres (385.25 miles) west-southwest off the financial capital Mumbai, reports Reuters.

On the other hand, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) advised authorities in Sindh and Balochistan yesterday to remain alert as the "very severe" cyclonic storm, Biparjoy, over the Arabian Sea was maintaining its intensity and lay 910 kilometres south of Karachi.

The IMD in a statement said, "It is very likely to intensify further and move north-northeast wards gradually during next 24 hours."

It warned of heavy rainfall at isolated places in the state of Kerala and coastal Karnataka region in next three days. In Gujarat, the 13 coastal districts of South Gujarat, Saurashtra peninsula and Kutch have been put on alert.

In Pakistan, the cyclone was initially reported to pose no danger to Pakistan's coastal areas. It however, changed its course, reports Dawn.

Listing the distances from Pakistan's coastal cities. PMD in a notification issued yesterday said, the storm lay at a distance of "about 910km south of Karachi, 890km south of Thatta and 990km southeast of Ormara".