KARACHI-Karachi Commissioner Iqbal Memon has directed authorities concerned to remove all billboards from the city in view of the Arabian Sea Cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ that has intensified into an “extremely severe cyclonic storm.”
In a letter written to all deputy commissioners, Memon has directed that all signboards on buildings and rooftops be immediately removed. He also ordered that all deputy commissioners must remain active in their respective areas and do safety measures in view of the rain forecast and gusty winds under the influence of Cyclone Biparjoy.
Meanwhile, the district administration of Hyderabad has asked the concerned authorities to remove on top priority all the billboards and signboards in view of the impending cyclone.
The directives were conveyed here on Sunday in a letter addressed to the Regional Director of Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), the Municipal Commissioner of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC), the Executive Officer of Cantonment Board Hyderabad (CBH) and 3 other municipal officials.
The offices had been asked to remove billboards and signboards from all public places to avoid any untoward incident. They had also been directed to keep the standby generators ready, which might be required for dewatering the rainwater.
Meanwhile, authorities in Sindh and Balochistan have issued red alert and banned fishing and swimming along the coastal areas after the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) “BIPARJOY” over eastcentral Arabian Sea is maintaining its intensity and is hardly 770 kilometers away from Karchi and 750km from Thatta.
The administration of the southern port city of Karachi imposed a complete ban on going into open sea for sailing, fishing, swimming or bathing under Section 144.
The ban was imposed after the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued an alert, advising fishermen not to venture in open sea from Monday, 12 June 2023 onwards till the system is over as the “Arabian Sea conditions may get very rough/high accompanied with high tides along coast”.
 The tides could rise up to 10 feet as soon as the cyclone strike the coastal belt.  
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) alert issued around 9.45pm on Saturday, the system was located 840km south of Karachi, 830km south of Thatta and 930km southeast of Ormara.

The Met department stated that the very severe cyclonic storm -- Biparjoy -- over east-central Arabian Sea was maintaining its intensity and had further tracked north-northeastward during the past 12 hours. “It now lies near Latitude 17.3°N & Longitude 67.4°E at a distance of about 840km south of Karachi, 830km south of Thatta and 930km southeast of Ormara.

The imposition of the Section 144 will come into effect from June 11 “till the end of the storm,” the notification said, adding that the measures aimed at avoiding any untoward incident of shipwreck and drowning.
The deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners concerned have been authotised to take action against the violators in coordination with the concerned SSP Karachi and get the violators booked under section 188 PPC.