Cyclone Biparjoy brings flooding and strong winds to India and Pakistan

Evacuated citizens fear for livelihoods as boats wrecked by flooding

Gusty winds and heavy rainfall hammered coastal parts of India on Thursday as Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall after eight days forming over the Arabian Sea.

Trees and electricity pylons were uprooted and boats were damaged in western Gujarat on Thursday, leaving some villages without power and their residents fearful.

The storm hit Jakhau Port at around 7pm local time, federal weather agency Indian Meteorological Department said.

"Landfall process will continue till midnight after which the cyclone intensity will weaken and wind speed will reduce gradually," said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the IMD's director general.

Mr Mohapatra said the cyclone was moving with a speed of 115-125 kph (71-78 mph), which will start reducing to 75-85 kph over the next three to six hours.

There were no immediate reports of property or lives being lost.

In Jamnagar, a tree and an electric pole struck a house.

Across the coastal belt, trees were swinging wildly as the cyclone gathered pace.

Heavy rains and high tides in the sea were observed throughout the day across the 325km stretch of coast between Mandvi in Gujarat and Karachi in Pakistan.

The cyclonic circulation had started brewing in the Arabian Sea on June 5 and intensified into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ over a few days.

Authorities shifted nearly 100,000 people from low-lying areas to temporary shelters in the eight coastal districts of Kutch, Jamnagar, Morbi, Rajkot, Devbhumi Dwarka, Junagadh, Porbandar and Gir Somnath.

In Kutch, which is likely to be badly affected, 47,000 people were moved to shelter homes. More than 20,000 animals have also been moved.

Amit Arora, Kutch’s top officer, said that there was “minor” damage to electric poles and uprooting of trees.

“Wind speed has increased but there has been no major mishap. There are minor damages like 200 electric poles uprooted and 250 trees uprooted. But we're well geared up,” Mr Arora said.

But locals were anxious as there was a complete power shutdown.

“There are strong winds and it is raining. Many trees have been uprooted in front of my home and there is no light in the village. It is pitch dark. People are scared,” Himmatsinh Rathore, a resident of Talvana village, about 9km away from Mandavi, told The National.

“We experiencing nature’s fury! We can’t fight nature but we want it to stop quickly,” he said.

Eighteen teams of India's National Disaster Response Force, a dozen teams of the State Disaster Response Force, 115 teams of the state road and building department, and 397 members of the state electricity department were sent to help in different coastal districts.

In Pakistan, more than 84,000 people have been evacuated to safer places, Syed Salman Shah, Director General of Provincial Disaster Management informed The National.

Rescue group 1122, along with other welfare organisations, army, navy and other authorities are on high alert in the three districts of Thatta, Baden, and Sujawal.

Abdul Madi Sumro, president of Al Khidmat Foundation, a non-profit humanitarian organisation, in Thatta, said that a camp was blown away by high winds. Fortunately, residents had been moved to solid structures.

“Fifteen ambulances, two mobile units, doctors, and lab technicians of Al Khedmat are on the spot to facilitate the evacuated people,” Mr Sumro added.

Zulfiqar Ahmad, a 36-year-old resident currently staying in a relief camp in Jati town, was dejected after leaving behind most of his belongings.

“I am concerned about what will be left when I return home after the storm, particularly the boat that I had to abandon since it serves as my family's source of income,” Mr Ahmad said.

Mr Ahmad added that it is not only him who is worried, as the people living with him in the relief camp are anxious about losing their boats.

The cost of building a new boat can range from 200,000-400,000 Pakistani rupees ($700-1,400).

The fear of the spread of diseases is also worrying those at the shelter as they stay in close quarters, waiting for the storm to pass.

“Fever, cough, and diarrhoea patients are also present in the camps, and there is a risk of food poisoning in different camps,” Dr Karam Ullah from the medical facilitation camp in Thatta said.