Deep depression over Arabian Sea intensifies into cyclone Asna: PMD

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said on Friday that a potential cyclone that had developed over the Rann of Kutch in India has intensified into cyclone Asna.

The cyclone currently lies at around Latitude 23.5 N & Longitude 67.9 E at about 170km south/southeast of Karachi and 88km south of Kati Bandar, the weather department said in its fourth alert.

The system is likely keep moving initially west/northwestwards.

“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 and isolated extremely heavy falls also likely in Hub, Lasbella, Awaran, Keach & Gwadar districts during 30 August to 1st September with occasional gaps,” according to PMD.

As a result, heavy rains may create water logging/rain inundation in low lying areas of Sindh-Makran coast.

The Met Office said that sea conditions are likely to remain rough/very rough with squally winds of 60-70 Km/hour gusting 80Km/hour.

However, it advised 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,” it added.

However, cyclone Asna will not directly hit Sindh coastal areas including Karachi.

Who named cyclone Asna?

The deep depression that is expected to turn into a cyclonic storm will be called “Asna,” a name given by Pakistan Metrological Department. In Urdu, “Asna” means “The One To Be Acknowledged Or Praised.”

This name is from a new list of tropical cyclone names adopted by countries in the WMO/ESCAP Panel in April 2020. This list is used to name storms over the North Indian Ocean, including the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.

According to PMD, Cyclonic storms forming in August over the Arabian Sea are rare.

Cyclone Asna is the fourth cyclone to develop in the Arabian Sea in August since 1944. Previous cyclones of this kind occurred in 1944, 1964, and 1976, all of which had their origins over land before becoming cyclonic storms at sea.

In 1976, the cyclone developed over Odisha, moved west-northwestwards, emerged into the Arabian Sea, and weakened near the Oman coast. In 1944, the cyclone intensified after emerging into the Arabian Sea.

In 1964, a short-lived cyclone formed near the South Gujarat coast and weakened near the coast.