storm
Cyclone kills in India and Pakistan
Strong winds and sustained rains are seen after Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall in Kutch district in the western Indian state of Gujarat. photo
© Ajit Solanki/AP/dpa
Cyclone Biparjoy made its way into mainland India yesterday evening with heavy wind and rain. Now there are the first reports of fatalities and destruction.
At least one person died in Pakistan and two in India after the powerful cyclone Biparjoy. This was announced by civil protection in both countries. In India, 23 people were also injured in the affected state of Gujarat. Footage on local television showed fallen trees and damaged utility poles, causing power outages in several parts of Gujarat. The heavy rain continued early Friday.
Also in Pakistan, there was heavy rain overnight and damage to trees and power poles in the southern province of Sindh. Pakistani Climate Protection Minister Sherry Rehman spoke on live television of dozens of damaged homes. In the metropolis of Karachi, however, the intensity of the storm with comparatively moderate rainfall was less severe than feared, according to the local disaster control authority.
The cyclone reached mainland India on Thursday evening with a lot of wind and rain. According to the Indian weather service, he reached wind speeds of up to 140 kilometers per hour. In Pakistan, the storm hit the mainland around midnight and was still blowing over the affected regions at a speed of 80 kilometers per hour, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Institute. More than 100,000 people had previously been evacuated and housed in emergency shelters in the coastal regions of both countries.
India and Pakistan experience frequent hurricanes. The intensity of such storms is increasing worldwide due to climate change.