IMD forecasts Cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ to intensify into an extremely severe storm today

Digital Desk: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted on Sunday that the VSCS 'Biparjoy' over the east-central Arabian Sea may intensify into an extremely severe cyclonic storm during the next six hours.

According to IMD, the VSCS 'Biparjoy' is expected to move roughly northwards on Thursday, approaching Pakistan and the neighbouring Saurashtra and Kutch beaches.

According to IMD's most recent tweet, "VSCS BIPARJOY lay centred at 2330IST of today, near lat 17.4N and long 67.3E, about 600 km WSW of Mumbai, 530 km S-SW of Porbandar & 830 km S of Karachi. To intensify further and likely to reach near Pakistan & adjoining Saurashtra & Kutch coast around A/N of 15th June as VSCS."

"The very severe cyclonic storm "Biparjoy" (pronounced as "Biporjoy") over east-central Arabian Sea moved nearly northwards with a speed of 5 kmph during the past 6-hours and lay centred at 2330 hours IST of 10th June 2023 over the same region near latitude 17.4°N and longitude 67.3°E, about 600 km west-southwest of Mumbai,530 km south-southwest of Porbandar, 580 km south-southwest of Dwarka, 670 km south-southwest of Naliya and 830 km south of Karachi," reports IMD.

The IMD classifies the phenomenon as a Cyclonic Storm when its 3-minute average maximum sustained wind speeds range from 63 to 88 kmph. Similarly, a severe cyclonic storm has winds of 89-117 kmph, a very severe cyclonic storm has winds of 118-165 kmph, and an extremely severe cyclonic storm has winds of 166-220 kmph. A supercyclone forms when wind speeds exceed 221 km/h.

On Saturday, meteorologists cautioned that 'Biparjoy' over the Arabian Sea would strengthen over the following 24 hours, putting Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, and other coastal states on high notice. Tithal Beach near Valsad on the Arabian Sea coast has been restricted to visitors until June 14 due to strong waves.

Officials additionally instructed fishing communities in the eastern and central Arabian Sea, as well as along the Indian Saurashtra and Kutch region, to suspend activities for the next five days on Saturday.