ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman Wednesday said flights of small aircraft are restricted in Karachi amid rough weather due to cyclone Biparjoy.

Addressing a press conference here alongside Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt-Gen Inam Haider Malik, Rehman said Biparjoy was following the path that had been predicted.

She noted that the storm would not make direct landfall in Karachi but “tidal waves, rainfall and duststorms” were expected in the city. “It seems Biparjoy is going northeast and it seems it will take a hard right even further to the east which means it will go past the megacity of Karachi,” she said.

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“Operation of small aircraft from Karachi International Airport to remain suspended to ensure safety of the people,” she said, adding that the cyclone was heading toward the coastline of the country. She added that the winds were blowing at a speed of 140 kilometres per hour (km/h) and all the institutions were working together to ensure that the preparations were being made along with precautionary measures.

The minister further said the decision regarding the commercial flights as yet has not been taken and the authorities will consider it following in a detailed review of the cyclone and weather with the input of the PMD. The minister said that the government has established 75 relief camps and according to the Sindh government, all the individuals were evacuated from the potentially-affected areas.

She urged the masses that there was no need to panic as the authorities concerned were vigilant and taking prerequisite measures. Public safety and saving people’s lives was the top priority of the government, she added.

The minister requested the masses to stay away from coastal areas and reiterated that this difficulty needed to be faced with courage. She announced that the government would soon issue an advisory regarding small ships.

Rehman said all state institutions including Rangers, Maritime Agency and Coast Guards are fully cooperating in making concerted efforts for evacuation of the people from the coastal belt in the wake of Cyclone Biparjoy. She said seventy-five relief camps have been established in different schools and colleges in the areas which can be affected by the cyclone. Sherry Rehman said the concerned authorities also completed the evacuation of the people from Kacha area to safer places last night.

Chairman NDMA Malik while updating about the evolving situation of the Biparjoy and the preparation of the government departments said that there was a risk of urban flooding in the areas of Karachi, whereas, some 62,000 people were shifted to safer places.

“After every two hours, cyclone-related information is being shared with the institutions concerned. The movement of small aircraft is being stopped at Karachi Airport, whereas a decision will also be taken soon regarding commercial planes,” he added.

The NDMA chairman said a data bank of the relocated population was also compiled, adding, “If more areas are submerged, another phase of migration will follow,” he said.

He said that the orders were issued to immediately stop flights of small aircraft while a decision regarding commercial flights would be taken in the meeting to be held at 1700 hours in the evening.

He said the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Biparjoy over the northeast Arabian Sea has moved further north-north-westward during last six hours, and now lies about 340 kilometres south-southwest of Karachi, 355 km south-southwest Thatta and 275 km south-southwest of Keti Bandar. The chairman NDMA said the Biparjoy Cyclone likely to recurve north-north-eastward and can landfall between Keti Bandar and Indian Gujarat coast tomorrow afternoon or in the evening as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm with packing winds of 100-120 Km per hour, gusting 140 km per hour.

The very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS) Biparjoy has caused a halt of small aircraft operations in the areas facing impacts of cyclonic winds, whereas the government has started mulling over the closure of commercial flights as well in its high-level meeting to be convened on Wednesday evening.

The VSCS “Biparjoy” over the northeast Arabian Sea moved further north-northwestward during the last six hours, and now lies near latitude 21.9°N and longitude 66.3°E at a distance of about 340km south-southwest of Karachi, 355km south-southwest Thatta and 275km south-southwest of Keti Bandar.

The chairman NDMA said that the VSCS Biparjoy might make landfall in Keti Bandar by tomorrow (June 15) afternoon.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023