KARACHI, PAKISTAN—Cyclonic storm ‘Shakhti’, churning over the Arabian Sea, has intensified into a “severe cyclonic storm” over the past 12 hours, prompting authorities to issue warnings for parts of Pakistan’s coastline. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) predicts light to moderate rain across regions of Sindh and Balochistan on Saturday.
In a notification, the PMD stated that the severe storm is initially likely to track west-southwestwards, reaching the northwest and adjoining central North Arabian Sea by October 5. It is then expected to recurve and move east-northeastwards over the subsequent 24 hours, where it is anticipated to gradually weaken.
Under the storm’s influence, authorities anticipate wind/thunderstorm activity and light to moderate rain across several districts today. These include Sindh’s Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, and Jamshoro, and Balochistan’s Hub, Lasbela, Awaran, and Kech. Isolated drizzle is also possible in the Karachi Division.
Fishermen Advised to Halt Operations
A key concern is the deteriorating situation at sea. The PMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the deep sea until Sunday, as sea conditions are likely to remain “rough to very rough” with squally winds near the Sindh coast gusting up to 55 kilometres/hour.
The department further warned that the central North and North Arabian Sea are expected to experience “very rough to high” sea conditions over the next 36 hours. Thereafter, conditions will remain “very rough to high” around the system’s centre.
A separate alert issued for the Karachi Division specified that the storm’s current position is about 390 km south-southwest of Karachi. While isolated drizzle is likely today, the majority of the province is expected to experience hot and dry weather. The PMD’s Cyclone Warning Centre in Karachi is actively monitoring the system to issue timely updates to the public and relevant authorities.
