Cyclone Biparjoy live: The Arabian Sea is witnessing Cyclone Biparjoy. The cyclone has been moving northwards at a speed of five kilometres per hour, and is centered southwest of Gujarat’s Porbandar.
India and Pakistan have braced themselves for the first severe cyclone, Biparjoy, this year expected to hit their coastal regions later this week. The authorities in India have halted fishing activities, deployed rescue personnel and have announced evacuation plans for those at risk.
Pakistan’s Sindh province is using the Army and Navy to step up the evacuation of more than 80,000 residents living near the coastline as Cyclone Biparjoy moved closer to the country’s commercial hub, Karachi.
From the Arabian Sea, cyclone Biparjoy is aiming at Pakistan’s southern Sindh province and the coastline of Gujarat in India. The fourth-strongest cyclone that occurred in June in the Sea, is expected to make landfall around June 14 and could reach maximum wind speeds of up to 150 kmph. Classified as a very severe cyclonic storm, Biparjoy is expected to make landfall between Mandvi in Gujarat and Karachi in Pakistan.
It follows Cyclone Vayu (2019), Cyclone Nisarga (2020) and Cyclone Tauktae (2021), all of which occurred off the west coast of India. Last year, the Eastern coast was hit by cyclone Asani.
Cyclone Biparjoy is poised to break all records. No Arabian Sea cyclone since 1982 (when satellite data started being used) has sustained at this strength for as long as Biparjoy has (126 hours).
Cyclone Biparjoy has experienced significant acceleration in two stages. According to the information from the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC), the first stage occurred between June 6 and 7, witnessing a surge in wind speed from 55 kmph to 139 kmph. The second stage took place between June 9 and June 10, where the wind speed, after a slight dip, escalated from 120 kmph to 195 kmph. Consequently, the storm transformed from a depression on June 6 to a severe cyclonic storm on June 10.
The name Biparjoy, coined by Bangladesh, means calamity in bengali. If the speed of a cyclone is more than 34 nautical miles per hour then it becomes necessary to give it a special name. Each cyclone is given a unique name by member nations.
Cyclones, also known as hurricanes or typhoons depending on the region, are large-scale weather systems characterised by strong rotating winds and low-pressure centres. They typically form over warm ocean waters near the equator and can have a diameter of hundreds of kilometres.
A tropical cyclone is a rapid rotating storm originating over tropical oceans from where it draws the energy to develop. It has a low pressure centre and clouds spiraling towards the eyewall surrounding the “eye”, the central part of the system where the weather is normally calm and free of clouds. Its diameter is typically around 200 to 500 km, but can reach 1000 km.
Cyclones bring about several hazards, including strong winds, heavy rainfall, storm surges, and the potential for flooding and landslides. These storms can cause significant damage to infrastructure, homes, and ecosystems, as well as pose risks to human life and safety.
Meteorological organisations around the world monitor cyclones and issue forecasts and warnings to help mitigate the impact of these severe weather events and protect vulnerable populations.
While climate change can influence cyclones, it is still not conclusive whether specific cyclones or their characteristics can solely be due to climate change. According to studies, global warming has lowered the frequency of tropical cyclones. However certain notable impacts of climate change can aid cyclones.
Warmer ocean temperatures, which are a result of climate change, provide more energy for cyclones to form and intensify. As the Earth’s climate continues to warm, there is a potential for cyclones to become more intense, with stronger wind speeds and higher rainfall rates.
While it is uncertain how climate change will specifically affect the frequency of cyclones, some studies suggest that the overall number of cyclones may decrease, but the proportion of intense cyclones could increase. Climate change may also alter the geographical distribution of cyclones, leading to shifts in their occurrence patterns.
In addition, sea-level rise can amplify the impacts of cyclones. Higher sea levels result in more significant storm surges during cyclones, leading to increased coastal flooding and erosion, and posing greater risks to coastal communities. Climate change can influence rainfall patterns, which in turn can impact cyclones. Warmer air holds more moisture, leading to an increased potential for heavy rainfall associated with cyclones. Shifts in wind patterns can affect the direction and speed at which cyclones move, potentially altering their impacts on specific regions.
Also read: https://letmebreathe.in/2023/06/09/explained-what-caused-the-canada-wildfire/
