The devastating Cyclone Biparjoy has claimed the lives of two individuals following its landfall in India.
Currently, the cyclone is making its way towards Pakistan, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Biparjoy knocked out power and threw shipping containers into the sea on Friday before aiming its lashing winds and rain in a part of Pakistan that suffered devastating floods last year.
A man and his son died trying to save their livestock in Gujarat state, where the storm came ashore late Thursday after more than 180,000 people took shelter in the two countries.
The storm made landfall a night earlier, packing windspeeds of 85 km/h (53 mph), gusting up to 105 km/h (86 mph) through the coastal regions of western India’s Gujarat state. Pakistani authorities were on high alert after evacuating 82,000 people.
The extent of the destruction caused by the recent storm in western India remains unclear at this time. Tragically, two individuals lost their lives, and three others sustained injuries in the nearby Devbhoomi Dwarka district, according to officials.
In response to the disaster, approximately 100,000 individuals have been evacuated and temporarily relocated to relief camps.
The storm also caused significant damage upon making landfall, including uprooting trees and electricity poles. Officials in the coastal town of Mandvi reported that heavy winds had even thrown shipping containers at Mundra port, one of India’s largest ports, into the sea.
Authorities are working tirelessly to assess the full extent of the damage and provide necessary aid to those affected.
