Tropical cyclone 240km away from Karachi

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department in its fresh alert issued on Thursday evening said that the depression over the northeast Arabian Sea has moved west-northwestward at a speed of 20km/hr during last 12 hours and has further intensified, ARY News reported.

The Met Office, in the latest advisory, said that “the depression over the northeast Arabian Sea has moved west-northwestward at a speed of 20km/h during last 12 hours, and now lies at latitude 23.0N and longitude 67.8E, at a distance of about 240km east-southeast of Karachi”.

The Met Office further stated that it is at a distance of 200km from Thatta and 410km from Ormara.

“The system is likely to strengthen further into a Cyclonic Storm during next 12-18 hours and move west-northwestwards.

Widespread rain-wind-thunderstorms with scattered heavy/very heavy falls, extremely heavy at times, accompanied with squally winds are likely in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Thaparker, Umerkot, Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Nosheroferoz, Tando Muhammad Khan (TMK), Tando Allayar (TAY), Dadu, Jamshoro, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Shikarpur & Ghotki districts from tonight 30 Sep (Thursday) to 2nd Oct (Saturday), said PMD.

Widespread rain-wind-thunderstorms with scattered heavy/very heavy falls, extremely heavy at times, are likely in Gwadar, Lasbela, Awaran, Kech, Khuzdar, Kalat and Panjgur districts of Balochistan till 3 Oct (Sunday).

Gusty winds, taller waves feared in Karachi as storm nears, coasts alerted

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Possible impacts

• Sea conditions would remain rough/very rough with high surge at times till Oct 3 (Sunday).
• Fishermen are advised not to venture in the sea from 30 September (Thursday) to 3 October (Sunday).
• Torrential rains may generate urban flooding in Karachi, Badin, Thatta, Hyderabad, Dadu, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Lasbela, Sonmiani, Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar, Turbat & Jiwani.
• Windstorm may cause damages to vulnerable structures.

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Educational institutes to remain closed tomorrow

The Sindh Education and Literacy Department announced that all private and Govt schools, colleges would remain closed across the province tomorrow (Friday) amid the cyclone threat.

The decision was made in a meeting chaired by Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah.

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Swimming, bathing in sea banned till Oct 5 in Karachi

Section 144 has been imposed in the coastal areas of Karachi with a ban on swimming in the sea until October 5 due to cyclone threat, ARY News reported.

A notification by the Karachi commissioner states that in the wake of the high alert issued by Pakistan Meteorological Department about the formation of tropical cyclone Shaheen, which may very well hit the city within a few hours with heavy rains and winds of up to 90km/hr, high surges in the sea may follow, which will result in loss of life.

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Karachi administrator visits different parts of Karachi

Administrator Karachi, Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Thursday visited different areas of Karachi to review safety measures amid cyclonic threat.

Murtaza Wahab visited Teen Talwar, Cantt Station, Metroville, Teen Talwar and other areas of District South.

“Its been raining nonstop since last 5 hours. I have travelled all the way from old city area to shariah e faisal to Hussain Abad right now. The situation so far has remained under control. Entire municipal staff is on the roads trying their best to attend to the situation,” he wrote in a tweet.

Its been raining non stop since last 5 hours. I have travelled all the way from old city area to shahrah e faisal to hussainabad right now. The situation so far has remained under control. Entire municipal staff is on the roads trying their best to attend to the situation

— Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui (@murtazawahab1) September 30, 2021

Commissioner order removal of billboards

Karachi Commissioner Navid Ahmed Shaikh has alerted all concerned departments in view of the developing Cyclone Gulab/Shaheen and directed to remove all billboards from the city.

A meeting regarding the cyclone was held under the chairmanship of the Karachi Commissioner. The commissioner directed that all signboards on buildings and rooftops be immediately removed.

He ordered that all deputy commissioners must remain active in their respective areas and do safety measures in view of the rain forecast and as showers begin in several areas of the metropolis.

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SSU’s flooding team deployed at Karachi’s Nagan Chowrangi

SSU’s Urban Flooding Rescue Unit (UFRU) has been deployed at Karachi’s Nagan Chowrangi to deal with emergency in view of heavy rainfall forecast in the city.

SSU’s UFRU is a 24/7 service where the police boats will rescue people in case of any flooding during the rains.

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Saeed Ghani visits district East areas

Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani visited different areas of Karachi’ East district to review the safety measures in view of expected heavy rainfall in the port city under influence of cyclonic storm Gulab.

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Heavy machinery reached at chocked areas

“Heavy pumps have been deployed at areas that had gotten chocked during the last rains. KMC, DMCs, KWSB & PDMA have mobilised their machinery at various problematic areas. The machinery has been deployed since last night to deal with the rain situation,” said the Karachi administrator.

This is the big storm water drain being developed by #SindhGovt to protect area of Yousuf Goth so that rain water can go into Lyari naddi & other photos show a new trench made around the area of KDA Chowrangi by DMC Central so that water can be easily moved towards Gujjar Naala pic.twitter.com/2zAoGSNmZa

— Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui (@murtazawahab1) September 30, 2021

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CM Murad assigns tasks to  ministers  

The chief minister’s spokesperson said Minister of Excise and Taxation Mukesh Kumar Chawla has been tasked to monitor the situation in Karachi’s District South while Minister of Labour, Information and Human Resources Saeed Ghani will do the same for Karachi’s District East.

Special Assistant to the CM on Inter-Provincial Coordination Taimur Talpur has been assigned to monitor the rain situation in Korangi, Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza will do the same for Karachi’s District Central while Minister for Zakat and Ushr Sajid Jokhio for District Malir.

Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Political Affairs Waqar Mehdi and Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Katchi Abadi/Human Settlements Liaquat Askani has been assigned to monitor the rain situation in Karachi District West and Kaemari, respectively.