Cyclone Biparjoy officially makes landfall in India
Powerful Cyclone Biparjoy, which has been roaming the waters of the Arabian Sea for more than a week, was in the process of making landfall in northwestern India on Thursday evening, local time. The life-threatening cyclone will continue to unleash forceful winds, pounding seas and flooding downpours across the region over the next several days, AccuWeather forecasters say.
As of Thursday evening, local time, Biparjoy was categorized as a "very severe cyclonic storm" by the India Meteorological Department, which is equivalent in intensity to a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (maximum sustained winds of 96-110 mph or 154-177 km/h).
Heavy and intense rain bands of Biparjoy were seen on satellite imagery inundating northwestern portions of India Thursday evening, local time, as the cyclone made landfall between Karachi, Pakistan, and Mandvi, India.
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AccuWeather RealVue™ Enhanced satellite imagery of Biparjoy making landfall in northwest India Thursday evening, local time. |
Since Biparjoy has made a direct strike on the shores of the Indian state of Gujarat, the cyclone is now the second strongest to hit that region, following only Cyclone Tauktae in May 2021.
View Cyclone Biparjoy's Forecast Track Map
"If Biparjoy had made landfall in Pakistan, it would have been the strongest [to make landfall] since May 20, 1999," AccuWeather Lead International Forecaster Jason Nicholls said. Storms were not named in the basin until 2000, he added.
Although Pakistan missed a direct hit from Birparjoy, impacts from the cyclone on the country are expected for the next several days, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.
Local officials have evacuated nearly 38,000 people from coastal districts in Gujarat and around 65,000 from the province of Sindh in Pakistan, according to the BBC.
The cyclone's slow movement across the Arabian Sea had compounded the impacts ahead of landfall earlier this week.
"Biparjoy's outer bands of rain and wind have been impacting the Saurashtra and Kutch coasts of Gujarat since Monday," Nicholls said.
Officials say the rain and wind from the cyclone's periphery contributed to a wall collapse in Gujarat that killed three people.
The cyclone has churned up treacherous conditions throughout the Arabian Sea during its slow approach to land. Four boys were found dead Monday evening after venturing into rough surf at a popular tourist beach west of Mumbai, India, BBC News reported. Video footage on Twitter showed a boating vessel bobbing up and down amid high waves.
AccuWeather meteorologists say the risk to life and property is far from over across the region as Biparjoy moves onshore then inland.
"Flooding rain and damaging winds are likely along the path of the storm," Nicholls said.
AccuWeather meteorologists expect 5-10 inches (130-255 mm) of rain with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 20 inches (510 mm). Wind gusts from Biparjoy will continue to be intense as the storm moves inland with widespread gusts of 60-75 mph (100-120 km/h) with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 95 mph (150 km/h). These winds are strong enough to topple trees and cut power in some communities.
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The latest Cyclone Biparjoy Eye Path® as of June 15, 2023 |
Storm surge flooding is forecast to inundate coastal communities to the north and east of the point of landfall, potentially cutting off transportation. Two of India's largest ports - Kandla and Mundra - have already suspended operations, according to the BBC.
Forecasters warn that Biparjoy's impact will continue into the weekend despite the storm quickly losing wind intensity over land.
"Rain from this system can reach Rajasthan and western Madhya Pradesh this weekend," Nicholls said.
The storm, although forecast to be a shell of its former self by that point, can still pack enough moisture to lead to localized flooding. The rain is expected to stay south of New Delhi.
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