PDMA advises evacuation ahead of Cyclone Nilofar

Under the influence of the weather system, heavy to very heavy rainfall with gusty winds expected along the coastal belt of Sindh including Karachi.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Sindh has advised the government authorities for immediate evacuation of the people in Sujawal, Thatta, Badin, Karachi South, Malir and Korangi living near the coastal belt and in low-lying areas.

The meeting on Tuesday also decided removal of all vulnerable billboards. The staff of the KMC and Cantonment Boards had started removal of the billboards in Karachi by Tuesday night, local television reports suggest.

The coastal district authorities have declared emergency  in all hospitals while the district governments will update the PDMA officials about the situation on a daily basis.

The meeting was attended by Commissioner Hyderabad, deputy commissioner Thatta, Sujawal and Badin, representatives of Karachi Commissioner, Coast Guards, Maritime Security Agency and health department to discuss the contingency plan.

Cyclone Nilofar Position

According to the latest Indian Meteorological Department bulletin, Cyclone Nilofar at 05:30 am Indian time on Wednesday was centered over westcentral Arabian Sea about 910 km southwest of Karachi and 900 km southwest of India’s Naliya coast.

“It would move north-northeastwards during next 12 hours and then northeastwards and cross north Gujarat and adjoining Pakistan coast around Naliya by November 1 forenoon. However, as the system would come closer to Gujarat coast, it would weaken and cross the coast as a cyclonic storm,” the bulletin said.