Cyclone Phet to hit Karachi on Friday

A storm is likely to force entry into Sindh coastal areas at night between Friday and Saturday.


Express June 02, 2010

ISLAMABAD:

Cyclone Phet is likely to force entry into Sindh coastal areas at night between Friday and Saturday, Chief Meteorologist Arif Mehmood said on Wednesday.


The cyclone moved northwestwards along Oman’s coastal areas during the last six hours and now lies about 920 kilometres southwest of Karachi. It is expected to start re-curving towards Sindh’s coastal areas tomorrow morning.


Talking to media, Mehmood said that only the coastal areas would be affected. Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Mirpur Khas and Thar Parkar would receive showers, while Karachi is expected to be lashed by the driving rains.

Mehmood said that storm-generated sea waves might be 4 to 6 feet high, and urged fishermen to stay back.

The meteorologist said the ocean-borne cyclones are expected with the monsoon season.

He added that the recent cyclone was engendered as a result of hot weather in the Arabian Sea, as the temperature crossed the 30 degrees centigrade barrier.

Mehmood forecasted that Karachi would be overcast tomorrow and will witness tempestuous downpours.

Meanwhile precautionary measures are being taken in Badin, Thattha and Hyderabad in preparation for the cyclone.

Fishermen have pulled some 300 boats back to the shore over cyclone fears, as strong winds continue over the region, while the people residing near the coastline of Thatta have started relocating to other areas and relief camps are being set up in seventy schools.

DCO Thatta earlier chaired a meeting of EDOs of all departments over the approaching cyclone. The Thatta district government has also sought assistance from Pakistan Navy to bring back the fishermen stuck in the middle of the sea.

Authorities have been ordered to stay on alert for the next 24 hours and control rooms have been established in various areas.

COMMENTS (66)

TL | 14 years ago | Reply Till the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi is there no cyclone or storm can nudge Karachi. It will turn its route every time. mashAllah
Teraisa J Goldman Rogers | 14 years ago | Reply God bless you. I pray for us all. Today for my brothers and sisters on the coast. Disregard the ignorant minds commenting here, they do NOT speak for most of us. I have to wonder what people without human compassion did in their past life to be missing parts of their brains. Luckily, I do not believe in that. I do believe in nature, God, and all of us. If a few insane people make everyone around them tainted, God help us for we are in extreme trouble.
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