Very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS) Biparjoy over East-Central Arabian Sea has not only intensified further but has also slightly shifted its track in the northeast direction after which it is apparently heading towards the coast of Pakistan, the Pakistan Meteorological Department said on Friday.“Owing to shift in upper-level steering winds, the uncertainty in global models forecast of VSCS “BIPARJOY” track still persists with some taking it to Oman- Pakistan Makran coast and others indicating towards Indian Gujarat-Pakistan Sindh coast. Considering this uncertainty, the system is likely to keep tracking further north/northeastward during next 36/48 hours”, Chief Meteorological Officer Sindh Dr Sardar Sarfraz told The News.
Quoting the PMD’s fresh cyclone advisory, he maintained that the VSCS was currently present near latitude 15.5°N and longitude 66.3°E at a distance of about 1,040 kilometres (km) south of Karachi, 1,020km south of Thatta and 1,110km southeast of Ormara. “Maximum sustained surface winds are 120-130 km per hour,” he said, adding that gusts were flowing at a speed of 150 km/hour around the system’s centre. “The favorable environmental conditions, including the sea surface temperature of 30-32°C, low vertical wind shear and upper-level divergence, are still supporting the system to intensify further,” Dr Sarfraz said,
The PMD official opined that as per international weather models, the cyclone was either heading towards Oman-Pakistan Makran coast or Sindh-Indian Gujrat Coast and predicted that the current situation indicated that the cyclone could hit Pakistani coast between Gwadar and Pasni in Balochistan “provided it maintains its cyclonic strength”.He said the PMD’s cyclone warning centre in Karachi was monitoring the system and would issue an advisory accordingly. He added that with its probable north-northeast track, the rain-thunderstorm with some heavy falls and squally winds was expected in Sindh-Makran coast on the night between June 13 and 14.
He advised the fishermen not to venture into the open sea from Monday till the weather system was over. In view of the possible heavy rain and strong winds in the coastal areas of Sindh, the provincial health department had asked all the district health officers (DHOs) in Karachi, Thatta, Sujawal and Badin to initiate readiness alert at all the health facilities. “Activation of control rooms be ensured with immediate effect in addition to availability of life saving drugs, on-road ambulances, functionality of equipment, power supply back-up at each hospital, one hundred pc attendance status of medics, nurses, paramedics after cancellation of leaves granted”, reads a notification issued by Sindh Health Director General Dr Irshad Memon on Friday.