Thatta islands evacuated as cyclone moves closer to Sindh coast

The authorities have ordered evacuation of people from the islands and coastal areas of Thatta District of Sindh as a powerful cyclone brewing in Arabian Sea move closer to the Pakistani coast on Friday morning, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Already battered by continuous heavy rains, many Sindh cities including Karachi have shut down all schools in view of the risk of a cyclone along the coastal strip

Thatta Deputy Commissioner Manawar Abbas Soomro told newsmen that transport has been arranged for the relocation of people and boats have also been sent to the islanders. He said measures have been taken to avoid any major damage and people are being shifted to temporary camps.

Meanwhile, Chief Meteorologist Dr Sardar Sarfaraz while giving an update about the cyclone said the deep depression will intensify into a cyclonic storm by Friday afternoon or evening.

He said the deep depression has gradually moved further west to southwest, which is now lying 200kms south-east of Karachi.

The depression will continue to move southwest or west, Sardar Sarfaraz said and added the coastal areas of Pakistan are bracing for a ‘rare’ cyclonic storm likely over the northeast Arabian Sea along Sindh’s coast.

The deep depression over the Rann of Kutch, India, slowly moved west-southwestward over the last 12 hours. It would move west towards Oman parallel to Pakistan coast, but can produce torrential rains in southern districts including Karachi and along the Makran coast.

 “There is an 80 percent chance for a cyclonic storm’s formation when the deep depression would move from land to the sea and get favourable conditions. “It would be a rare event as cyclones are uncommon in the monsoon season,” said Sardar Sarfaraz.

He explained it was due to the high vertical wind shear during the monsoon period that depressions formed in this season didn’t turn into cyclones. He said if the storm materialised it would be the first cyclone in the Arabian Sea in August since 1976 and would get the name ‘Asna’.

According to the Met department’s advisory, rain/wind-thunderstorms with scattered heavy/very heavy falls are likely in Awaran, Kech and Gwadar divisions during Aug 30 till Sept 1 with occasional gaps.

Sea conditions are likely to remain rough to very rough with squally winds 50-60km/hour gusting to 70km/hour.

Fishermen of Sindh are advised not to venture into the open sea till Aug 31 and those of Balochistan till Sept 1.

Meanwhile, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon stated that all educational institutions in the Karachi division and several other cities of the province will be closed today following the advisory issued by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, urging residents to take necessary precautions during the heavy rains.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecasted stormy rain for Karachi and many other areas in Sindh today.

Reporter Aaima Khan