ISLAMABAD/KARACHI - A potential cyclone developed over the Rann of Kutch in India is expected to emerge along the Sindh coast late tonight or Friday morning, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
Following the warnings, the government has announced holiday on Friday (today) for all the educational institutions. According to a notification issued by Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, all the schools in the metropolis will remain closed in the wake of advisory as more rains are expected due to a potential cyclone over the Rann of Kutch in India that is likely to emerge along the Sindh coast today morning.
The deep depression over Rann of Kutch, India has moved very slowly west-southwest during last 12 hours and now lies at around Latitude 23.7 N and Longitude 69.5 E at about 270km east/southeast of Karachi.
The system is likely to move west/southwestwards and emerge into northeast Arabian Sea along Sindh coast by late night or Friday morning.
Due to favorable environmental conditions, sea surface temperature, low/moderate vertical wind shear and upper-level divergence, the system is likely to intensify further into a Cyclonic Storm (CS) by Friday and move initially in west/southwest direction.
Under its influence, widespread rain/wind-thunderstorms with scattered heavy-very heavy to isolated extremely heavy falls likely in Tharparker, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Hyderabad, Tandu Muhammad Khan, Tandu Allah Yar, Matiari, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Jamshoro, Dadu and Shaheed Benazirabad districts and Karachi division till August 31 with occasional gaps. Sea conditions are likely to remain rough/very rough with squally winds 50-60 Km/hour.
The fishermen are advised not to venture into sea till August 31. PMD’s cyclone warning center, Karachi is monitoring the system and will issue the update accordingly.
