The Sindh government commenced evacuation from the coastal areas of Badin, anticipating the arrival of the fast-approaching cyclone Biparjoy.
The move aims to prevent loss of life by moving residents to safer locations. Due to the rising threat of tropical cyclone Biparjoy in the Arabian Sea, it was decided to evacuate residential and other human settlements near the Sindh coast. The cyclone, classified as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm (ESCS), is approximately 600 kilometers south of Karachi.
Key officials, including Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Local Bodies Minister Nasir Shah, and Sindh Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, visited the Shah Bandar area. Post-visit, they met to evaluate arrangements for mitigating the cyclone’s impact.
The Hyderabad commissioner informed the chief minister that the evacuation commenced from Badin’s Bhangra Memon, with 2,000 people evacuated from Shah Bandar. The goal is to evacuate 50,000 people from the villages of Shah Bandar, Jati, and Keti Bandar.
The cyclone is predicted to hit the Sindh coast on June 15 but is expected to lose intensity by June 17 or 18.
Plans and Actions Against Biparjoy
The decision to evacuate certain areas was taken during a meeting chaired by Karachi Commissioner Iqbal Memon. The relevant authorities have been instructed to coordinate the evacuation plan with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). The plan includes evacuation from Baba Bhit, Mubarak Village, Ibrahim Hydri Village, the harbor, and other low-lying villages along the coastal belt.
Besides evacuation from hazardous buildings, removal of cranes, construction machinery, and other potential hazards are part of the preparations. The evacuees will be accommodated in relief camps, with all necessary facilities provided. Measures include implementing Section 144 of the CrPC, preventing electrocution, installing de-watering pumps in low-lying areas, and creating a contingency plan.
Cyclone Biparjoy, predicted to hit the southeast Sindh coastal belt between Pakistan/Rann of Kutch-Indian Gujarat coasts by the June 15 afternoon, may cause strong winds, heavy rains, and flooding in the province’s coastal areas.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has urged an awareness campaign in the local language, cautioning residents against visiting the shorelines.
