Biparjoy weakens into ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ – Category 3

ISLAMABAD: The tropical cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ has weakened into a “very severe cyclonic storm” (VSCS) – Category 3, with sustained wind speeds of approximately 140-150 kilometres per hour and gusts up to 170km/h after it started reaching closer to the coastline of the country, the official news agency reported.

According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the current location was near Latitude 20.7° N and Longitude 67.1° E, roughly 460km south of Karachi and 450km south of Thatta and 565km southeast of Ormara.

According to the latest forecast, Biparjoy was expected to maintain a northward trajectory until the morning of June 14 and then it was likely to recurve eastward and would make landfall between Keti Bandar (southeast Sindh coastline) and the Indian Gujarat coastline in the afternoon of June 15, as a very severe cyclonic storm.

The areas likely to be affected include Thatta, Badin, Sajawal, Tharparkar, Karachi, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Hyderabad, Ormara, Tando Allah Yar Khan and Tando Mohammad Khan. These findings have been developed by the National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) technical team using international and national models.