KARACHI\\QUETTA The tropical cyclone Phet with maximum wind speed of 64-119 knots near the centre, now reached near the coastal areas of Oman at 18N - 60.2E, about 860km southwest of Karachi. Around 60,000 residents were evacuated Thursday from areas along the Sindh coastline. According to the Met Office, the cyclone is expected to hit the coastal areas of Oman in the next 12 hours and it may remain stationary over there for 24 hours. After that, it may start recurving towards the Pakistan coastal areas. During this process, the cyclone is expected to lose its intensity. Estimates suggest that this slow moving tropical cyclone would approach the Pakistan coastal areas on June 6 (Sunday) as a moderate intensity tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds 34-47 knots near the centre with associated storm surge of three to five metres. Under the influence of this cyclone, heavy rains accompanied with dust and thunderstorms are expected in the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan. Sea conditions along the Sindh-Makran coast are also expected to be rough during the next 48 hours. The Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre of Pakistan Meteorological Department had issued a warning and asked the fishermen, who were in deep sea, to return to the coast. It further asked the irrigation authorities in Sindh and Balochistan to reduce inflow in the irrigation system. Meanwhile, an emergency was declared Thursday in Balochistans coastal areas including Gadani, Dam and Sonmiani and residents are being shifted to safer places in the wake of approaching Phet cyclone. Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani directed Commissioners of Kalat, Makran and Director General, Provincial Disaster Management Authority to ensure safety of fishermen and people of the coastal areas. He also directed Gwadar and Lasbela authorities to mobilise all resources to ensure safety of life and property of people of coastal areas. Official sources said that monitoring cell at Chief Ministers Secretariat is in touch round the clock with civil administration. Disaster Management Authority Balochistan Director General Hassan Baloch said that authority had taken all precautionary measures to deal with the situation. About 500,000 people in costal towns of Balochistan are under threat from the cyclone, he said, adding All necessary arrangements have been in place. He said two trucks carrying various relief goods including tents, edibles and medicines were dispatched to Lasbela. Commissioner Kalat division, Mir Iqbal Ahmed Khosa has left for Lasbela on the directives of the Chief Minister. Sources in Gwadar said that on the directives of Commissioner Makran a ban has been imposed on visiting sea or fishing there. All boats at Gwadar and shores of other coastal area have been shifted to safer places. Agencies add: As the major cyclone was closing in on countrys coastline, the President ordered immediate precautionary measures and around 60,000 residents were evacuated Thursday, officials said. President Asif Ali Zardari ordered the military and government to take 'immediate precautionary measures as the tropical cyclone approached. Hospitals have been put on alert, medicine and equipment stockpiled, while tinned rations and clothes are being arranged in Sindh and Balochistan, authorities said. Forecasters warned the cyclone could uproot power and communication lines along the coast but believed there would be less impact on Karachi. Authorities in Sindh said they have evacuated around 60,000 people from coastal villages, where poor infrastructure and communications make them vulnerable to storms. We have shifted them to hundreds of relief camps established in school buildings in the area, Munir Memon, a senior official in the provincial relief commission, told AFP. We have a better infrastructure and improved health facilities in Karachi which makes the city much safer from such catastrophes, Memon said. Director Met Department Balochistan Saifullah Shami said next 12 hours were crucial for coastal areas in the province, though the cyclone was expected to downgrade in its run up to landfall here. He said if the storm raged on with the same intensity, the coastal areas including Marah, Pasni and Gwadar could be most hit. Talking to a news channel Thursday, Shami said the rain weather system would enter Balochistan coastal areas including Gadani, Gwadar, Marah and Jiwani during the next 14 hours. Meanwhile, Maritime Security Agency has rescued 150 fishermen and 35 boats trap from amid high tides. Asghar Shah, coordinator International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Gwadar, was of the view that according to present data, tropical cyclone Phet might not directly smash into coastline of Gwadar, Jeewani and other coastal regions of Makran Division, adding however, Gwadar and other nearby coastal areas were still in the range of the cyclone. He said IUCN Gwadar is collecting data after every two hours about current position of tropical cyclone Phet which is being provided to the district government Gwadar and other stakeholders.