Pak: Cyclone Biparjoy reaches 330 km south of Karachi, gas supplies to industries suspended

Karachi [Pakistan], June 14 : Cyclone Biparjoy reached 330 km south of Karachi in Pakistan on Wednesday and is slated to cross the adjoining coasts, the Indian Meteorological Department said in a tweet on Wednesday.

Biparjoy is expected to make landfall near the Jakhau coast, Gujarat on the evening of June 15 and will traverse all along the Rann of Kutch up to Rajasthan in India.

Its effect is also being seen on Pakistan and the evacuation process from coastal areas have already been started there.

"330 km south of Karachi (Pakistan). To cross Saurashtra & Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by evening of 15th June as a very severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 120-130 kmph," the Indian Meteorological Department tweeted.

Meanwhile, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) Limited ceased gas supplies to all businesses on Wednesday in accordance with instructions from the federal government, including their units for power generating, the fertiliser industry and CNG stations.

The SSGC said in a statement that the decision was made in light of the potential impact of Cyclone Biparjoy as well as the scarcity of natural gas and re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG), Pakistan-based Geo News reported.

Geo News is a Pakistani news channel.

Cyclone Biparjoy, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), is now 370 km south of Karachi. Sherry Rehman, the minister for climate change, predicted that the cycle will hit Keti Bandar on Thursday, around 11am.

"The gas supply has been suspended until further notice from 7:00am today (Wednesday) morning," read the statement, Geo News reported.

The gas supply business claimed that last night it emailed notices of the gas shutdown to all industrial and CNG associations. According to the government's instructions in light of the storm, the power industry will receive the most gas possible in order to guarantee the consumers' access to electricity.