Karachi's DHA advises residents to prepare for cyclone Biparjoy

KARACHI: Administration of the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), Karachi, has alerted the area's residents to prepare for cyclone Biparjoy which now lies 600 kilometres from the port city.

In light of the escalating threat, the residents of Karachi's upscale area by the sea have been advised to take precautionary measures for any emergency situation.

"We advise our residents to prepare for the Severe Cyclonic Storm (SCS) *BIPARJOY*," a tweet posted by DHA Karachi Official stated.

The residents have been advised to secure their basement entrance and windows to prevent stormwater from damaging their houses and call DHA helpline 1092 in case of any emergency.

The advisory further stated the following precautions to prevent any undesirable consequences of the storm.

• All compulsory open spaces to be kept clear of any violations to avoid poundage or excessive water
• The drains at main gates [of houses] should be cleared thoroughly
• Rooftops of all buildings should be kept clear of temporary/unauthorised construction and material
• Roof treatment should be carried out to prevent damage to structures
• All naked or loose electric connections should be secured
• All main holes and pipes should be cleaned

It may be noted that Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed in all the areas near the coast, including DHA, under which people have been restricted from visiting beaches.

Moreover, Sea View Road has also been blocked from a local restaurant to Khayaban-e-Ittehad. The traffic from Khayaban-e-Mujahid is being directed towards the service road while the traffic from Khayaban-e-Ittehad is being diverted back to Khayaban-e-Saba.

Moreover, the government has launched an evacuation drive along the coastline of Sindh in the wake of cyclone Biparjoy today.

At least 2,000 people have already been evacuated from a village in district Badin after the process kicked off.

The authorities concerned have been directed to implement the evacuation plan in coordination with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) by tomorrow (June 13), when the storm is likely to hit the coast.

The tropical cyclone has intensified into an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm (ESCS) during the last 24 hours and is likely to hit the coastal belt of southeast Sindh between Pakistan/Rann of Kutch-Indian Gujarat coasts by June 15 afternoon as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS).