PMD warns of damage to vulnerable buildings due to cyclonic storm

• PMD advises fishermen to not venture into the sea from September 30 to October 3.
• Torrential rains may generate urban flooding in Karachi, Hyderabad, other districts, says PMD.
• Sea conditions to remain rough/very rough with high surge at times till Oct 3.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department on Wednesday warned of damage to vulnerable structures as it asked the concerned authorities to remain on high alert during a cyclonic storm, which might hit the country on October 1 — two days from now.

The PMD, in a statement, said a low-pressure system, currently lying over south Gujarat, India, is likely to move northwestward.

“The system is likely to emerge in the Northeast Arabian Sea by tomorrow, 30th Sep (Thursday morning) and strengthen into a depression due to favourable environmental conditions with the possibility of further intensification into a cyclonic storm in subsequent 24 hours (Oct 1, Friday).”

The meteorological department advised fishermen to not venture into the sea from September 30 to October 3, as it warned that the conditions in the sea might be very rough.

Predicted impacts:

• Sea conditions would remain rough/very rough with a high surge at times till Oct 3 (Sunday).
• Torrential rains may generate urban flooding in Karachi, Badin, Thatta, Hyderabad, Dadu, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Lasbela, Sonmiani, Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar, Turbat, and Jiwani.
• Windstorms may cause damage to vulnerable structures.

Areas that might come under system’s influence

The PMD said, "from Sept 30 to Oct 2, widespread rain-wind-thunderstorms with scattered heavy/very heavy falls, extremely heavy at times, accompanied with squally winds were likely to hit Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Thaparker, Umerkot, Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Nosheroferoz, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allayar, Dadu, Jamshoro, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, and Ghotki districts."

Moreover, from Sept 30 to Oct 3, "widespread rain-wind-thunderstorms with scattered heavy/very heavy falls, extremely heavy at times, were likely in Gwadar, Lasbela, Awaran, Kech, Khuzdar, Kalat and Panjgur districts of Balochistan," the PMD added.