ACCORDING to the latest weather models, the approaching ‘extremely severe cyclonic storm’ Biparjoy is likely to make landfall between the Indian state of Gujarat and Sindh’s south-eastern districts by Thursday. Meanwhile, weather conditions influenced by the storm are likely to impact Karachi, as well as districts further inland in Sindh. The federal minister for climate change and environmental coordination has called for “caution and planning”, though our state of disaster preparedness certainly needs improvement if the weather-related deaths in KP over the weekend are anything to go by. Almost 30 people lost their lives, principally in the southern districts of KP, including Bannu and Lakki Marwat, as the area was battered by heavy rainfall and strong winds on Saturday. Though one should not be alarmist, the coming cyclone could bring similar havoc to Sindh’s high-density settlements unless the authorities have contingency plans in place to shield the region from the worst impacts of the storm.

Sindh’s chief minister has identified three coastal districts — Thatta, Sujawal and Badin — as the most vulnerable to Biparjoy. People from some coastal villages have reportedly been evacuated, while the Sindh government says residents of other vulnerable settlements will also be relocated to safer ground as powerful squalls and extremely heavy rainfall threaten the region. Meanwhile, heavy rainfall and 80km per hour winds are also expected in Karachi, Hyderabad and a few adjoining districts. As had been pointed out earlier in these columns, the presence of hoardings in Karachi presents a major public hazard during stormy weather, as the weatherman says the coming storm could cause damage to loose and vulnerable structures. Though the authorities had said these billboards would be removed by Monday evening, preventive measures should have been taken much earlier, especially when there is a court order in the field banning the installation of such signage on public property. Furthermore, there are also concerns about flooding as several roads in Karachi’s districts South and Central remain dug up, while construction for the Red Line is also underway. It is hoped the authorities concerned are prepared, should predicted heavy rainfall materialise so that these dug-up thoroughfares don’t turn into death traps during inclement weather. As Biparjoy approaches, all precautions must be taken to protect coastal communities in Sindh and Balochistan, from small settlements to the sprawling metropolis of Karachi.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2023