KARACHI - Pakistan Meteorological Department has predicted that the Cyclone Nilofar is 1,222-km away from Sindh coastal areas and 1,145-km away from Balochistan coastal belt.
Officials said the cyclone was expected to hit coastal areas of Balochistan somewhere around October 29. Officials further clarified that the cyclone will lose most of its wrath when it will hit Sindh’s coastal area somewhere between October 30 and 31.
Rain in expected with heavy thunderstorms in the lower areas of Sindh including Karachi and coastal areas of Balochistan from Wednesday to Friday.
The Karachi city administration claimed to have taken all precautionary measures ahead of the warning of Nilofar Cyclone and urged the fishermen to return from the deep sea here on Monday.
Currently, the tropical storm Nilofar is present at 906-km away in southeast of Arabian Sea near Salah city of Oman.
The department also predicted that the weather, during the next two days, would remain dry in Karachi while rain was expected after the cyclone hit the coastal areas.
It also warned the fishermen not to travel into the open sea from October 28-31. Following the prediction, settlements alongside the coastal belt in the metropolis including Karachi Fish Harbour, Ibrahim Haideri and Keti Bunder were being gripped amid intense premonitions and despondency on the arrival of Nilofar, a locally-named cyclone that was expected to hit the shore of the City in next 24 hours.
As the authorities concerned including Karachi Fish harbour, civil administration, maritime security agency and the meteorological department had warned the fishermen not to enter the open sea for fishing, the fishermen had parked their fishing boats and those who are already in the sea have started returning.
According to experts of various departments, the Nilofar would first hit the coast of Oman and then would collide with the Gwadar Coast form where it would head towards the metropolis. Later, it will approach towards the Indian Coast.
Meanwhile, Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui had approached Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency and Pakistan Coast Guards for assisting Pakistani fishermen for safe of the fishermen to land. The commissioner had also taken Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and other non-governmental organisations, dealing or working with the fishermen, for assisting the civil administration in efforts for bringing the fishermen back to home at the earliest.
He had also directed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and concerned deputy commissioners to ensure full implementation of Section 144 that had already been imposed on bathing in the sea. The civil administration had also warned the people of the City to stay home and avoid visiting the coastal areas alone or along with their families. Under the instructions of the commissioner, Rescue 1299 and the Commissioner Office Control Room had also been directed to pass any information to the commissioner immediately.
Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and all the Cantonment Boards had also been asked to immediately remove weak and vulnerable billboards so as to safe the people from any untoward tragedy.
AFP ADDS: Indian officials were also preparing to evacuate residents and stockpile food as they braced for another very severe cyclonic storm due to slam into the India’s west coast and Pakistan.