Cyclone Phet enters Sindh

KARACHI: Cyclone Phet advanced into Sindh wreaking havoc in some areas, while skipping over Karachi.

The overall death toll since its entry into Pakistan stood at 8 on Sunday evening, with dozens injured. The cyclone was downgraded to a tropical depression but Sindh is expected to receive rain till Monday evening.

End of live coverage

8:00pm

The Meteorological Department has said the outer circle of the Phet cyclone has hit Thatta and Badin while the central circle of the storm will make landfall in two hours. See photos throughout the day here. It has been confirmed that Karachi will not bear the brunt of the storm.

Keti Bandar has been evacuated completly by the navy. Emergency has been declared and the media has been advised to leave the area.

ijqureshi #phet #karachi Hands of Abdullah shah gazi ruined every thing

7:30pm

Karachiites have come out on parts of Clifton Beach to greet Cyclone Phet, despite warnings by officials. 148mm rain has been recorded in Karachi so far.

Emirates Airline flights from Muscat to Karachi and Karachi to Muscat have been delayed. Flight No 606 will arrive in the evening with flight No. 604. Flight No 605 was supposed to leave at 5:45pm but has been delayed.

SaharMullick Phet is said to have diverted its attention and is now moving towards Thatta. #phet

sayyedah No More Rain, Clear Sky, Dry Streets... Was #phet ever here ??? #Karachi #Pakistan

smohkim #phet misses karachi for good - media made a jerk of everyone - conflicting news

ambreenhaider http://bit.ly/bmer4T BBC: "dead duck of a cyclone is #Phet"

7:20pm

The Meteorological Office has issued its fourteenth warning on Phet, while department officials contacted by Express 24/7 state that the cyclone may change its direction, but will not die down in the Arabian Sea.

kashaziz Officially, #phet is not a storm any more. It's a Tropical Depression now with sustained wind <39mph

6:55pm

All British Council Cambridge examinations are running normally, said a message on their website on Sunday afternoon. Multiple institutions have however opted to postpone exams. Read the full report here.

desmukh MD PEPCO says 179 feeders of interior Sindh were affected due to extreme weather conditions, out of which 120 feeders have been restored

rabiagarib @DrAwab the post budget hype went completely phooss with the #phet analysis... #phet khappay!!! #phet for prezidant! I like this #phet!

6:38pm

Cyclone Phet is expected to hit Keti bandar in 10 minutes. An emergency has been declared and the local administration has advised all media persons to evacuate immediately. See the Cyclone and its impact in pictures here.

Authorities have already evacuated 60,000 people from along the 1,000-kilometre coastline, including 23,000 on outlying islands.

@kashaziz A Tropical Storm has max speed of 73mph so jang/geo & DG Met again stand incorrect stating #phet would've 100mph when it reach #Karachi

AFP reports that according to officials the death toll of Cyclone Phet rose to 16 in Oman.

naveenaqvi there's a stunning rainbow over karachi. i just saw it over mohatta palace...beautiful!

6:25pm

Fawad Ali Shah reporting for The Express Tribune says according to theMeteorological department of Karachi 150 mm rain has been recorded at Masroor base,122 mm at Faisal base, 111 mm at Saddar, 78 mm at University road and 115 mm at Airport. According to him the rains will continue till tomorrow evening. The cyclone is hundred kilometers away from Karachi and will hit the southern part of the city he said.

The sun has also come out in parts of the city, as reported by citizens.

5:56pm

Cyclone Phet is reportedly moving away from Karachi. For the latest satellite image and for regular updates, click here.

5:45pm

Governor Sindh Ishrat ul Ibad is observing relief efforts in Karachi, and has ordered officials to remain vigilant during the storm while the MQM has established an emergency centre.

Regarding the British Council queries, Mahim Maher, The Express Tribune City Editor, for Karachi has said 'We just spoke to the British Council people and they said that the exams were taking place according to schedule. However, it is advised for all students to keep checking their website. The Express Tribune city staff will keep you posted either way. Watch this space…'

According to Express News, exams scheduled for tomorrow at Karachi University, Matric and Inter board have been delayed due to bad weather.

5:35pm

Cyclone Phet is now only 100 kilometres away from karachi, as Met Office expects cyclone may miss the the coastal area of the city.

Fawad Ali Shah for The Express Tribune reports that 17 people have been injured at Abdullah Shah Ghfazi's Mazaar due to the collapse of a wall.

Met Office has warned Keti Bandar is likely to be the first coastal area to hit by the cyclone. Wind speeds are expected to be around 80 to 100 kilometres per hour when the cyclone hits.

zeeshan_ahmed Power back, rain as well! It's rainin' heavy in#Hyderabad... #Phet 100 kms away...

5:34pm

Mohammad Ziad asks in the comments section whether British Council has postponed exams, or he will have to hire a boat.

British Council's website does not have any new information about Cambridge exams being postponed. A message dated June 4 says, "All British Council Cambridge examinations are running normally. Candidates should attend examinations as timetabled. Daily updates about the examinations will appear on the British Council Pakistan website."

adeelab: Locked out on my balcony. # Phet winds have jammed the door. Now what?

5:26pm

Even when its pouring, Karachiites manage to find some hope. Several Twitter users are reporting raucous games of street cricket are underway in their neighbourhoods while Chairman Mao says they will be delivering food from 6pm onwards.

5:13pm

Phet is expected to hit Keti Bandar in the next few hours

tammyhaq: raining non stop in Karachi but despite lots of warning time no signs of unblocked drains or any kind of measures to prevent flooding

razzman: Strong winds and rain in malir cantt. Expecting power out anytime :(

4:50pm

From Al Jazeera English:

In Karachi, hours of rain left roads under more than one foot (30 centimetres) of water. Electricity was cut in many districts in the mostly low-lying city of 18 million people.

Many parts of Karachi and other towns along Pakistan's coast are desperately poor. Roads, bridges, houses and drainage systems are already in bad condition, making them vulnerable to high winds, heavy rain and rough seas.

Rahma: So we havnt had electricty since 3 am. 13 hours and counting. KESC said by 5. I am planning the rioting for 5:30.

4:30pm

A Cantt resident reports that the roads from Teen Talwar to Submarine Chowk is clear, as are the streets to Gizri. Power supply was cut to Cantt 20 minutes ago while there were repeated power outages in the early hours of the morning.

4:16pm

Reporter, Fawad Ali Shah for The Express Tribune says 8 people have died due to electrocutions in Karachi so far.

kunri Its late. Too late. Isn't it? #Phet is just around the corner. Heavy rain in #Karachi. No Electricity for the last 14 hours. :(

razzman Pushing a car thru #khi roads @ 4AM with cyclonic rain in your face. Priceless #phet #karachi

Director General Met Department, Doctor Qamar uz Zaman Chaudhry says the storm has skirted along the Balochistan coast losing some of its force before hitting the Sindh coast.

View slide show coverage of Cyclone Phet here (contributions may be sent to: [e-mail]).

3:51pm

anonymousbeing NO signs of rain or any form of rain yet in Block-16 Gulshan...bachay tou football kheilnay mai MAST hain =P#phet

3:39pm

Shaheryar Popalzai reporting from Sea View says, "extremely heavy rainfall has been going on here. Very windy conditions. The SHO darakshan is standing himself at Village restaurant on the beach stopping people and telling them to keep moving. The sea appears to have gone back, waves are a little high, but the sea is far back. I was also told the Governor might be visiting, no sign of him yet."

@faisalkapadia: Reports of serious rain in dha? #phet | Yes , raining cats and dogs.

@mahawishrezvi route to espresso is all clear kids! #karachi #Phet

@T2F: The "Reclaiming Lollywood" session with Ahmer Naqvi has been postponed owing to the rains. It will now be held on Tue June 8 at 6:30 pm

3:27pm

The coastal areas of Balochistan and Sindh face heavy rainfall as the cyclone whirls closer to Pakistan. 3 people have been killed and 30 people injured in various accidents due to the heavy storms.

Educational institutions in Karachi have postponed all exams until tomorrow. Several areas of Karachi saw rainfall, including Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Nazimabad, Defence, Clifton and PECH Society. The cyclone is now 120km from the city.

Rainwater entered shops in Sadar, Bohri Bazar, Soldier Baazar and other areas. The city has been facing power failure for the last several hours, as sources say 360 feeders tripped because of heavy rains and strong winds.

For the latest satellite image of the cyclone, click here.

128mm of rain was recorded at the Masroor base, 84 in Sadar, and 77 in Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

3:14pm

Naziha Syed Ali reports that heavy rainfall is being witnessed in Clifton from Bilawal House up to Bath Island. However, mop-up crews were out in force a little while ago pumping out every little puddle of water standing on the roads in the area. "Rather efficient compared to previous years, and certainly worth acknowledging."

Ali Khurshid has a beautiful set of images of the beach before the storm on Flickr.

3:05pm

Wind speeds are expected to be around 30 to 60 kilometres per hour when cyclone Phet hits. Karachi is also expected to see two to three foot high waves, while Thatta's coast will see three to five foot high ones.

The health department set up a cyclone health emergency centre (CHEC) in Karachi which will function from June 3 to June 5 at Barracks No-24 in the Sindh Secretariat No-4-A. The telephone numbers are: 021-99203108 and 021-99203403.

A main emergency centre has been established at DHA’s Main Office which would operate day and night during the rains to provide immediate relief to the rain affected people.

Residents can contact the Centre for complaints/information on tel nos 99266844, 99266845, 99266877, 99266888 and UAN No 111-589-589. Lt. Col (R) Muhammad Asif will be the in-charge of the Camp. Complaints can also be made on 0322-8280662, 0300-8269157.

2:50pm

Sara Jamil reporting from Old Clifton says that there is about a foot of water has collected on the main road leading from Mohatta Palace to Park Towers, but the side lanes are all clear and there is considerably less traffic on the roads.

2:40pm

Parvez Kazmi reporting from DHA cites overcast skies with showers on and off; wind picking up a lot. Phase 8 area around Creek Club/Defence Golf Club/Creek Vistas upto 16th street clear with no standing water.

2:33pm

A heavy downpour has hit Hyderabad, Badin, Thatta, Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas and other districts in Interior Sindh.

Consistent heavy rainfall since morning has caused trains arriving from Punjab to be delayed for upto four hours. 14 milimeters of rain was recorded in Hyderabad, and is expected to continue for the next 24 hours. Parts of the city are facing power failure due to technical faults.

A traffic accident caused by the wet weather on the super highway in nooriabad has left two people dead and 6 injured.

Telenor services appear to have been restored.

2:27pm

Affectees of the rains and thunderstorms in Gwadar, ahead of the cyclone, are facing severe shortage of food and medical facilities.

No facilities have been provided at the relief camps in Pasni, despite government claims to the contrary. Locals say 80 homes have been washed out due to heavy rain, and several people have been injured. A large number of people convened at the gate of the coast guard's office and demanded food supplies, which officials promised would arrive tonight.

2:20pm

Pakistan Army has deployed 3 battalions in Thatta and Sindh and one battalion in Gawadar for relief activities and rescue operations.

@aady110 Alrdy 250m rain recorded in #karachi, no elec4 last 14 hrs there4 no cble no tv laptop bat.drained n cell phne bat.abt a go n #phet yt 2 hit

2:04pm

Rahma Muhammad reporting from PECHS Block 2 says lanes are water free, as is main Tariq road from Liberty to Allahwala Chowk.

At Allahwala Chowk CDGK machines  are clearing water on sharah-e-quaideen, even though there isn't much water standing.

Mcdonalds is open. So are general stores and bakeries in small markets around Tariq road and Khalid bin waleed road.

@ijqureshi #phet 4 hrs remaining in landfall between 6-7 pm , heavy rain expected #karachi

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh on Saturday evacuated up to 8,000 people from the coastal areas and islands of Karachi and shifted them to relief camps says The News.

1:55pm

Shaheryar Popalzai, reporting for the web desk from Sea View says the entire sea view road has been blocked by the local authorities. Police and ranger forces have been on guard at all entry and exit points since last night, and have not left their positions even during heavy rain. The public is still reaching the beach in decent numbers, only to be turned away due to security concerns. People have gotten off cars to get a view of the sea from little distance. It has also been raining in parts here, sometimes heavy. Observing from a safe distance, the waves seem to have gained a little height.

1:45pm

Yousaf Hasan Siddiqui reporting from University Road Karachi says "Sewage system has worked brilliantly on the University Road especially the Hassan Square to the Central Jail route. Minor water blockages are on the edges where streets meet the main road itself, but definitely better then other localities of the city. Lets hope it remains the same!"

Roads were under more than 30 centimetres of water in Karachi, a mostly low-lying city of 18 million people, Dawn reports.

1:40 PM

Twitter users are asking if there will be a public holiday tomorrow, while Nadir Hassan writes in: "I'm going to lead a protest in the streets if my cable doesnt come back in time for the tennis."

1:30 PM

Tauheed Commercial Area is clear. A resident in the area says some petrol stations were out of petrol at 7 am but they have petrol now.

DHA Phase 5 extension

The electricity kept switching on and off since 12 am. It went off again from 2:30 am and was restored at 3:30 am.  The electricity went out again at 7 am and is still gone. Residents also heard a blast sound - possibly a feeder tripping - in the area.

Twitter user @suhaibjalis wants to know: Any good places serving good coffee in #Karachi amid the #phet warnings? I need a route that won't flood if it rains.

DHA Phase 2 Extension

Electricity went off for five hours and was restored around 9am. The main streets are somewhat clear but the smaller lanes are inundated with water. However, the halwa puri seller is doing brisk business.

DHA Phase 6

In Phase 6, Telenor services have been down since 6am, while Worldcall services also broke down after 4am. The electricity was off from 3am to 1pm and Khayaban-e-Shahbaz is flooded.

1:04pm

According to Tropicalstormrisk, Karachi is no longer directly in Cyclone Phet's main path.

12:56pm

According to latest information, up to 60 electricity feeders have tripped in Karachi and some areas have seen 12 hours of power outages. According to Express 24/7, water has entered numerous households in low lying areas of Defence and Clifton.

The Meteorological Department predicts 36 hours of rain for Sindh. Heavy rain is also expected in Thatta, Badin and Mirpurkhas.

Twitter update: @faisalkapadia At cafe alao in #karachi hot coffee brewing in the rain #phet all clear on shaheedemillat

12:46pm

The cyclonic storm Phet is heading on a direct collision course with Pakistan, and is expected to make its way into Karachi this afternoon.

The city has already seen the initial effects of the storm in the form of late-night downpours, which inundated numerous houses and triggered massive blackouts across the metropolis.

One person has been killed and 30 people injured in various accidents due to the heavy storms.

Numerous sign boards and trees have been uprooted by high winds, and cellular services have also been severely affected.

Several areas of Karachi saw rainfall, including Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Nazimabad, Defence, Clifton and PECH Society.

Rainwater entered shops in Sadar, Bohri Bazar, Soldier Baazar and other areas. The city has been facing power failure for the last several hours, as sources say 360 feeders tripped because of heavy rains and strong winds.

A 128 millimeters of rain was recorded at the Masroor base, 84mm in Saddar, and 77mm in Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

The Meteorological Department says waves as high as three to five metres are expected to bear down on Karachi's beaches. Heavy rainfall has also lashed Hyderabad.

A special cell has been established in the interior ministry to monitor the cyclone threat.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik has called the DG coast guards and Disaster Management Authority Chairman General retired Nadeem to inquire about relief efforts. Meanwhile, the Sindh governor is also observing relief efforts in Karachi, and has ordered officials to remain vigilant during the storm.

The MQM has also established an emergency centre in Karachi.

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