India and Pakistan braced for the first severe cyclone this year expected to hit their coastal regions later this week, as authorities on Monday halted fishing activities, deployed rescue personnel and announced evacuation plans for those at risk.

From the Arabian Sea, cyclone Biparjoy is aiming at Pakistan's southern Sindh province and the coastline of the western Indian state of Gujarat. It is forecast to make landfall on Thursday and could reach maximum wind speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department.

Disaster management personnel have been deployed to densely populated regions and cities that will be in the storm's path. The cyclone will likely affect Karachi in Pakistan as well as two of India's largest ports, Mundra and Kandla, in Gujarat state.

Murad Ali Shah, the top elected official in Pakistan's Sindh province, visited the coastal areas and asked authorities to evacuate an estimated 80,000 people to safety.