India and Pakistan are taking measures to evacuate people as Cyclone Biparjoy approaches. Officials say that while it may be the most powerful to hit western India and Pakistan since 2021, preparations are underway to minimize damage. Cyclone Biparjoy is expected to make landfall on Thursday near Jakhau port in the Kutch district of Gujarat. In India, thousands of people from low-lying regions have been moved, including those living along the coast in Gujarat. Those within 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) of the coast may also be moved in the coming days if required. All ports, including two of India’s largest, Mundra and Kandla, have been shut down as a precaution. In Pakistan, authorities backed by the military have so far evacuated 22,000 people from coastal towns, with 80,000 people expected to be moved before the landfall on Thursday.
Scientists suggest that climate change is leading to an increase in cyclones in the Arabian Sea, emphasizing the urgency of preparing for natural disasters. Experts explained that warmer oceans caused by climate change led to a 1.2 degree Celsius increase in the Arabian Sea since March this year, making conditions favorable for severe cyclones. A recent 2021 study further indicates that the frequency, duration, and intensity of cyclones in the Arabian Sea have significantly increased between 1982 and 2019. U.N. climate reports also suggest that the intensity of tropical cyclones would increase in a warmer climate due to the fastest sea surface warming, which has been occurring in the Indian Ocean since the 1950s.
The latest cyclone follows severe flooding in Pakistan last year, which claimed 1,739 lives and resulted in losses of $30 billion. Climate change has been cited as a major factor in the increasing number of natural disasters worldwide, and experts continue to urge people to take measures to prepare for and prevent them.
