Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman reported today that Cyclone Biparjoy’s landfall had been delayed until nightfall due to decreased speed. She shared via Twitter that although the cyclone’s core remains intense, it has slowed down and is expected to hit the Keti Bandar area of Sindh province at midnight.
In a surprising turn, the cyclone has now recurved towards the northeast, moving away from Karachi. The Pakistan Meteorological Department’s morning forecast predicted the cyclone to land between Keti Bandar and India’s Gujarat by evening.
Surface wind gusts around the system’s center are still estimated at 150 km/hour with 25-30 feet wave heights. The cyclone has moved north-northeastward and is located approximately 230km south of Karachi and 155km south-southwest of Keti Bandar.
Wind-dust/thunderstorm rain with high-intensity winds of 100-120Km/hour is likely in southeast Sindh coast districts from June 15-17. Karachi and surrounding districts may expect dust/thunderstorm rain with squally winds of 60-80 Km/hour.
The storm surge, expected to be 3-4 meters high, can inundate the low-lying settlements around the Keti Bandar and cause damage to vulnerable structures. The sea conditions along the Sindh coast may become rough, with wave heights expected to reach 2-2.5 meters.
