With ‘Ashobaa’ 750 kms away, no need to hit panic button yet

Karachi: Heavy rains are expected in Karachi and other coastal areas of the province in the next 24 to 48 hours as a deep depression over east central Arabian Sea has intensified into tropical cyclone Ashobaa, currently present 750 kilometres south of the city.


In its latest warning issued on Monday, the Pakistan meteorological department said the cyclone is likely to move north north-westward in next 24 hours and the sea along the Sindh and Balochistan coastal stretch will remain rough whereas stormy winds will be observed from Monday afternoon to Friday.

“A well-marked low-pressure area over east central Arabian Sea has rapidly intensified into a deep depression during last 12 hours and now lies around latitude 15.5N and longitude 68.3E around 750 kilometres south of Karachi,” it was stated in the warning. Naeem Shah, the chief meteorologist and in-charge if the Cyclone Warning Centre Karachi, said thundershowers were expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar, Thatta, Badin and Sujawal districts of lower Sindh in the next 24 hours to 48 hrs.

Shah advised fishermen of Sindh and Balochistan not to venture into the open sea from Monday to Thursday.

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Contingency plan

Syed Saman Shah, the director general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, said a contingency plan to deal with emerging situation had already been prepared.

“We don’t want to create any panic but are fully prepared to handle any situation,” he added. He said the disaster management authorities in the East, West, South, Central, Malir and Korangi districts and their counterparts in Thatta, Badin, Sujawal and Tharparkar were also closely monitoring the situation.

“Our major focus is on the low-lying areas that might be inundated and all arrangements are in place to deal with that,” said Shah.

He said the provincial government had already taken all its departments on board and consequently the home department had imposed Section 144 on the entire coastal belt of the province. Besides, he added, the local government department had also taken the required measures.

He billboards and hoardings would be removed to avoid any casualty or injuries in case of strong winds.

Shah said the K-Electric and other civic agencies had advised to ensure uninterrupted power supply to pumping stations for the drainage of rainwater.

‘Karachi shouldn’t fear’

The Karachi commissioner told reporters that as per Met office reports chances of Karachi facing an emergency because of the cyclone were very low.

Addressing a press conference, Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui said Karachi Municipal Corporation and cantonment officers had been instructed to remove signboards to avert any mishap in case of rains and strong winds.

Hospital staff’s holidays cancelled

In the wake of the expected cyclone, chief minister’s adviser on labour and human resources Asghar Ali Junejo has cancelled the holidays of the doctors, nurses, paramedics and other hospital employees of the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution.

Junejo directed the hospital administration to ensure the availability of all medical staff and facilities in the hospitals managed by the SESSI in the province.