Cyclone Biparjoy: India, Pakistan evacuate more than 170,000 - BBC News
More than 170,000 people in the two countries were evacuated to safety before the arrival of Cyclone Biparjoy.
Forecasters say it could be the area’s worst storm in 25 years and warned it threatens homes and crops in its path.
The cyclone is due to barrel through parts of India’s Gujarat state and Sindh province in Pakistan.
Cyclone Biparjoy - meaning “disaster” in Bengali - is forecast to hit the coast near Jakhau port, between Mandvi in Gujarat and Keti Bandar in Sindh.
Pakistan’s disaster management agency warned of storm surges as high as 3-4m (10-13ft) along the coastline from Karachi to Gujarat.
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The Indian armed forces and coast guard have kept ships, helicopters and aircraft on standby for rescue and relief operations.
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At least seven deaths were reported amid heavy rains in India earlier this week. The victims included two children crushed by a collapsing wall, and a woman hit by a falling tree while on a motorbike, AFP news agency reported.
In Pakistan, the storm is expected to strike the coast of Sindh province. Authorities have evacuated 81,000 people from the south-eastern coast and set up 75 relief camps at schools.
[The current Federal Minister for Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change, Sherry] Rehman said that Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city with a population of more than 20 million, was not under immediate threat but emergency measures were being taken.
Meteorologists warned that high tides could inundate low-lying areas along the coasts.
Mandvi and other parts of coastal Gujarat have witnessed heavy rains and high winds since Wednesday. Local media outlets shared videos that showed debris flying amid heavy rain.
Gujarat state officials said that 94,000 people had been evacuated from coastal areas.
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Locations: India Pakistan Gujarat, India Jakhau, India Mandvi, India Karachi, Pakistan Keti Bandar, Pakistan Sindh, Pakistan
Organizations: Indian Armed Forces Ministry of Climate Change (Pakistan)