INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
MANDVI, INDIA, JUNE 16Cyclone Biparjoy knocked out power and threw shipping containers into the sea in western India
on Friday before weakening as it headed toward Pakistan, officials said.
More than 180,000 people took shelter in the two countries, but
later Friday, Pakistan's evacuees prepared to return home
Indian officials said electricity has been restored in some villages, while many others were still without power.
Still, the storm took a
toll especially where it made landfall in India
A man and his son died when they tried to save their livestock in Gujarat state.
The storm packed windspeeds of 85 kph (53 mph) and gusting
up to 105 kph (65 mph) through the coastal regions of western Gujarat.
The full extent of the damage in western India wasn't immediately
In addition to the two deaths, 23 people were injured in various areas, officials said
About 100,000 people who were evacuated in western India have been temporarily relocated to relief camps, authorities said.
The storm did
other damage upon landfall, including uprooting trees and electricity poles
Officials in the coastal town of Mandvi said heavy winds threw some shipping containers into the sea at Mundra port, one of India's largest
ports.
Pakistanis were especially on alert after deadly flooding last year
Wind-driven rain pelted southern coastal towns in Pakistan for a second day Friday
The cyclone was expected to cause flash floods in the country's south.
People in that region lined up to receive food donated by charities,
aid agencies and local authorities
Pakistan's national disaster management agency said the cyclone was 125 kilometers (75 miles) south-southwest of Keti Bandar, a port in
flood-hit Sindh province.
Pakistan will decide on Saturday whether displaced people can be allowed to go back.
"The storm is expected to
weaken first to a cyclonic storm and then to a depression by this evening," a government statement said.
Shakir Din, a fisherman in the
coastal town of Badin, said his family and neighbors may soon return home.
The Indian Meteorological Department said Cyclone Biporjoy set a
record for the longest lifespan over the Arabian Sea, more than 10 days
Cyclone Kyarr in 2019 had a life of nine days, it said.
The Gujarat government said it deployed 184 rapid action squads to rescue wild
animals and clear fallen trees in Gir National Park, home to nearly 700 Asiatic lions.
Pakistan's Sindh province experienced one of the
country's deadliest floods last summer, partly induced by climate change
At least 1,739 people were killed and 33 million were displaced.
The World Health Organization said Thursday that it was supporting
Pakistan's efforts to deal with the impact of the cyclone
Pakistan's government and local aid groups delivered free food and drinking water to displaced people
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said his government was protecting those in the storm's path.
On Thursday, UNICEF warned that more than
625,000 children were at immediate risk in Pakistan and India.
"In Pakistan, Cyclone Biparjoy threatens a new crisis for children and
families in Sindh, the province worst affected by last year's devastating floods," said Noala Skinner, UNICEF's regional director for South
Asia.
A 2021 study found that the frequency, duration and intensity of cyclones in the Arabian Sea increased significantly between 1982 and
2019, and experts say the increase will continue, making preparations for natural disasters more urgent.
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com
