Potential cyclone to emerge along Sindh coast in evening: PMD

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said on Friday that a potential cyclone that had developed over the Rann of Kutch in India was 200km east/southeast of Karachi and will intensify further into a Cyclonic Storm (CS) this afternoon/ evening.

“The deep depression (DD, very strong low-pressure area) over Rann of Kutch, India & adjoining areas has slowly moved west-southwestward during last 12 hours and now lies at around Latitude 23.5 N & Longitude 68.4 E at about 200km east/southeast of Karachi,” said Met department.

The system is likely keep moving further west/southwestwards in northeast Arabian Sea along Sindh coast and intensify further into a Cyclonic Storm (CS) this afternoon/ evening, it added.

Under its influence, widespread rain/wind-thunderstorms with scattered heavy/very heavy and isolated extremely heavy falls likely in Karachi division, Tharparker, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Hyderabad, T.M Khan, T.A Yar, Matiari, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Jamshoro, Dadu & Shaheed Benazirabad districts till 31 August.

“Widespread rain/wind-thunderstorm with scattered heavy/very heavy falls also likely in Hub, Lasbella, Awaran, Keach & Gwadar districts during 30 August to 1st September with Occasional gaps.

“Heavy rains may create water logging/rain inundation in low lying areas of Sindh-Makran coast,” the Met department said.

Sea conditions are likely to remain rough/very rough with squally winds 50-60 Km/hour gusting 70Km/hour, the weather department said in its alert, further advising fishermen of Sindh not to venture into sea till 31 August and those of Balochistan till 1st September.

“PMD’s cyclone warning center, Karachi is closely monitoring the system and will issue the update accordingly,” PMD press release stated.