Coastal India and Pakistan Brace for Cyclonic Storm Amid Severe Flooding
Heavy rains batter Gujarat and Pakistan's coastal areas, causing widespread flooding. With 28 deaths reported and thousands evacuated, authorities warn of an impending cyclonic storm by Friday.
Severe flooding has struck the coastal regions of India and Pakistan along the Arabian Sea, causing significant disruption and prompting mass evacuations. The western Indian state of Gujarat has been particularly affected, with authorities reporting 28 fatalities this week due to rain-related incidents.
Over 18,000 residents have been evacuated from coastal cities since August 25, 2024, as floodwaters submerged vehicles and roads. The Indian army has been deployed to assist in relief efforts, reminiscent of the response to Cyclone Biparjoy in 2023, which led to the evacuation of more than 180,000 people.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted the intensification of a deep depression off Gujarat's coast into a cyclonic storm by August 30, 2024. This development is particularly concerning given that cyclones in the Arabian Sea are relatively rare compared to the Bay of Bengal, and their frequency is increasing due to climate change.
"There is no electricity for the last two days. I have an eight-month-old daughter and an asthma patient, my mother, who is on oxygen support."
The flooding has also impacted Jamnagar, home to the world's largest oil refining complex owned by Reliance Industries Ltd. Nearby, Nayara Energy, backed by Russian oil giant Rosneft, operates another refinery in Vadinar. Local authorities have confirmed that both facilities remain operational, though rescue efforts are the primary focus.
In neighboring Pakistan, the port city of Karachi has experienced flash floods, leading to power outages. Pakistani authorities have issued warnings to fishermen, advising them to avoid venturing into the sea until August 31, 2024. The southern province of Sindh, still recovering from the devastating floods of 2022 that affected over 33 million people, faces the threat of flash floods in two districts.
As the region braces for more extreme weather, the IMD has predicted extremely heavy rainfall in Gujarat's Bharuch, Kutch, and Saurashtra districts on August 30, 2024. This event underscores the increasing vulnerability of coastal areas to climate-related disasters and the need for improved disaster preparedness and management strategies.
