A notification issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Saturday stated that cyclonic storm ‘Shakhti’ over the northeast Arabian Sea had moved westward during the past 12 hours and further intensified into a “severe cyclonic storm” due to which light to moderate rain was likely in parts of Sindh and Balochistan.
“It is likely to move west-southwestwards and reach northwest and adjoining central north Arabian Sea by Oct 5, then it will recurve and move east-northeastwards during subsequent 24 hours and weaken gradually,” the department said.
It said that under the influence of the storm, wind/thunderstorm and light to moderate rain was likely today in Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Jamshoro, Hub, Lasbela, Awaran and Kech districts as well as at isolated places in Karachi Division.
The notification stated that sea conditions were likely to remain “rough to very rough” with squally winds gusting 55 km/hour near the Sindh coast. It also advised fishermen not to venture into the deep sea till Sunday.
The department further said that sea conditions were likely to remain very rough to high, then very high over central North and the North Arabian Sea during the next 36 hours. Thereafter, very rough to high around the
system centre, it said.
“The PMD’s Cyclone Warning Centre, Karachi is monitoring the system and will issue the updates accordingly,” it added.
A separate weather alert issued for Karachi Division stated that the storm now lay south-southwest at about a distance of 390km from Karachi and was likely to move west-southwards.
“Isolated drizzle likely to occur in Karachi Division today. Hot and dry weather likely to prevail most parts of the province,” it said.
The alert predicted partly cloudy and humid weather with chances of isolated drizzle for Saturday (today), partly cloudy and humid weather for Sunday and mostly sunny and humid weather on Monday.
