More than 150,000 evacuated as India, Pakistan brace for Cyclone Biparjoy
More than 150,000 people in India and Pakistan have been evacuated from the path of a fierce cyclone before its expected landfall on Thursday.
Forecasters have warned that Cyclone Biparjoy- could destroy homes and crops in its path. Biparjoy is expected to first hit India's Gujarat state on Thursday evening local time.
The cyclone is expected to make landfall near the Jakhau port between Mandvi in Gujarat and Keti Bandar in Pakistan's Sindh province between 16:00 and 20:00 local time.
Pakistan's disaster management agency warned of storm surges as high as 3-4m (10-13ft) along the coastline from Karachi to India's Gujarat.
Gujarat's Relief Commissioner Alok Pandey said the cyclone's speed had reduced but its winds speed were expected to be around 110-120 km/h at the time of landfall, which he called "very dangerous".
India's weather office warned that the cyclone will damage roads, thatched houses and uproot electricity towers and trees along Gujarat's coast.
In Pakistan, the storm is expected to strike the coast of Sindh province. Authorities have already evacuated 81,000 people from the south-eastern coast and set up 75 relief camps at schools.
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