Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall on June 16, striking the coasts of the Indian state of Gujarat and Pakistan’s Sindh province. It is the most severe storm to impact the area in 25 years. Pakistan’s disaster management agency issued weather warnings for storm surges as high as 3 to 4 m along the coastline stretching from Pakistan’s Karachi to Gujarat.
Although the cyclone’s intensity steadily diminished, wind speeds measured approximately 110 to 125 km per hour upon landfall. The Indian government dispatched armed forces and the coast guard for rescue and relief operations to minimize casualties. Authorities in Gujarat evacuated over 100,000 people from high-risk coastal areas, while Sindh evacuated roughly 82,000 people. The governments set up relief shelters in schools and government buildings. Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, implemented emergency measures but faced no immediate threat.
As Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall, its wind speed subsided to an average of 78 km per hour in Gujarat. The cyclone brought heavy precipitations, strong winds, and elevated tides to the coasts of India and Pakistan. The number of evacuees soon surpassed 180,000 people in both countries. Classified as a category one storm, Biparjoy threatened temporary structures, crops, and public infrastructure. According to reports, it further disrupted the railway network, flooded coastal towns, caused widespread damage to power lines, and uprooted trees. In addition to suspending train services and operations at the ports of Kandla and Mundra, the two regions saw fishing activities halted along the coast. The Gujarat government also established control rooms to monitor the safety of Asiatic lions in the Gir forest and coastal areas and deployed national and state disaster relief teams to ensure the continuity of essential services within the region.
Researchers have observed a substantial increase in the frequency, duration, and intensity of cyclones in the Arabian Sea between 1982 and 2019, underscoring the heightened vulnerability of the surrounding regions. Storms in the Indian Ocean, influenced by escalating surface temperatures attributed to climate change, have grown increasingly destructive. Cyclone Tauktae in May 2021 claimed 174 lives. Meanwhile, recollections of a cyclone that ravaged the Gujarat coast 25 years ago resurfaced among evacuees. While official data put its death toll at around 4,000, the unofficial figures exceed this number considerably.
Sean Jung Director teen/1688431890/1613367592
1. What happened on June 16? How were the warnings issued?
2. How were the wind speeds of the cyclone? How did the Indian government respond?
3. What were the impacts of Cyclone Biparjoy, according to paragraph 3?
4. What did researchers observe, according to the last paragraph? What were the impact of the destructive cyclones?
1. How destructive are cyclones? Explain in detail.
2. What can be done to prepare for cyclones?
3. What are some other natural disasters that cause destruction? Describe each natural disaster and its impact.
4. Are the impact of natural disasters more severe than man-made disasters? Explain your reasoning.
Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall on June 16, striking the coasts of the Indian state of Gujarat and Pakistan’s Sindh province. It is the most severe storm to impact the area in 25 years. Pakistan’s disaster management agency issued weather warnings for storm surges as high as 3 to 4 m along the coastline stretching from Pakistan’s Karachi to Gujarat.
