India evacuates nearly 38,000 people ahead of Cyclone Biparjoy

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Indian authorities have evacuated thousands of people as a severe storm over the Arabian Sea nears coastal areas of India and Pakistan, officials said on Wednesday.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the Cyclone Biparjoy is moving toward Pakistan's southern regions, including the port city of Karachi, likely to cause strong winds and showers on Thursday.

Authorities in the western Gujarat state of India in a statement said that as part of security and safety measures, 37,794 people have been shifted to safe places in eight districts of the state.

The health department has arranged medicines, besides keeping 239 ambulances available in flood-prone areas, the statement said.

Indian authorities have also deployed 15 teams of the National Disaster Response Force and 12 teams of the State Disaster Response Force for the safety of people and rescue relief.

A statement issued by the India Meteorological Department on Wednesday said the very severe Cyclone Biparjoy is very likely to move toward northeast and cross the Saurashtra and Kutch regions, adjoining Pakistani coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi near the Jakhau Port by Thursday evening "with maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kilometers per hour (around 77-83 miles per hour), gusting up to 150 kmph (93 mph)."

The department has warned that damage is expected in several districts of Gujarat on Thursday, and advised total suspension of fishing operations over the east-central and the west-central Arabian Sea on Thursday, and the northeastern Arabian Sea on Wednesday and Thursday.

In India, local police officials reported at least five fatalities in Gujarat and Maharashtra ahead of the cyclone due to drowning in Maharashtra, and a wall collapse and wind in Gujarat.

Meanwhile, Pakistani authorities are also relocating thousands of people from southeastern coastal belt and also issued mandatory evacuation orders in some areas as well.

On Tuesday, the director general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority of Sindh, Salman Shah said 35,000 people from the coastal areas of Pakistan were evacuated, while operations were underway to relocate another 65,000.

According to the latest advisory of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, tropical Cyclone Biparjoy has weakened into a "Very Severe Cyclonic Storm" of Category 3, with sustained windspeeds of approximately 140-150 kmph (87-93 mph), gusting up to 170 kmph (105 mph).

"Its recent location is near 21.8 degrees north latitude and 66.4 degrees east longitude, roughly 338 km (210 mi) south of Karachi, 412 kmph (256 mph) of Ormara and 288 kmph (178.9 mph) south of Keti Bander," it noted.

The areas of Thatta, Badin, Sajawal, Tharparkar, Karachi, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Hyderabad, Ormara, Tando Allah Yar Khan, and Tando Mohammad Khan are likely to be affected, it added.

Authorities also established evacuation centers and relief camps in different areas to facilitate the displaced people.

Pakistan's army and navy troops have also been sent to the areas that are under risk, assisting the civil administration in ongoing evacuations, the military said in a statement.

* Anadolu staff in Ankara contributed to this story