| 16 June 2023
At least two people have lost their lives, and 22 others have been injured as Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall in western India near the Pakistan border. The cyclone, which hit the Gujarat state coast on Thursday night, has weakened but continues to wreak havoc across the region, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall.
Authorities are still assessing the full extent of the damage caused by Cyclone Biparjoy. Reports indicate that the storm uprooted trees, tore down electricity poles, and inflicted damage to roads in some districts. However, a comprehensive evaluation of the destruction is yet to be determined.
In a tragic incident, local media in Bhavnagar city reported that two cattle farmers, a father, and son, were swept away while attempting to rescue their goats from a flooded ravine. As of now, no further cyclone-related deaths have been reported by Indian officials.
Pakistan has not recorded any casualties thus far. However, more than 80,000 people have been displaced from their homes along the coastal belt in Sindh due to the cyclone's impact. Both India and Pakistan had taken preventive measures, evacuating over 170,000 individuals from low-lying areas prior to the cyclone's arrival. Make-shift shelters were established in school auditoriums and government buildings in both countries to accommodate those affected.
Initially classified as a "very severe" storm, Cyclone Biparjoy, which means "disaster" in Bengali, struck the port city of Jakhau in Gujarat with winds reaching up to 125 km/h (78 mph). However, the India Meteorological Department has since downgraded its classification to "severe." Authorities warn that heavy rainfall is expected to persist in the neighboring Rajasthan state over the next two days as the cyclone moves northwest.
As a result of the cyclone's impact, Gujarat officials have announced the cancellation of around 99 train services as the storm barrels across the state. Despite being classified as a category one storm, the least severe on the scale, forecasters had predicted that Cyclone Biparjoy could be the worst storm the area has experienced in 25 years.
Cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons, depending on the region, are recurring and deadly phenomena in the Indian Ocean. The rising surface temperatures in the Arabian Sea, attributed to climate change in recent years, have rendered the surrounding regions even more vulnerable to devastating storms.
Notably, last week, Pakistan witnessed 33 deaths due to heavy rains, while seven deaths were reported in India this week amidst the downpours.
As the affected communities strive to recover from the aftermath of Cyclone Biparjoy, relief efforts, and assistance from local authorities and humanitarian organizations will be crucial in providing support and aid to those affected by the calamity.
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