Karachi cyclone: Private schools to remain closed tomorrow

• Schools, colleges to remain closed in affected districts, ASPSCA chairman says.
• Decision taken as parents were worried, ASPSCA chairman Haider Ali says.
• Met warns of cyclonic storm along Sindh-Makran coast within next 18 hours.

All Sindh Private Schools and Colleges Association (ASPSCA) on Thursday announced the closure of educational institutions, as a cyclone is some 300kms away from Karachi.

Amid uncertain weather conditions, schools and colleges will remain closed in affected districts, the association's chairman, Haider Ali, said in a statement.

"The decision has been taken as the parents were worried [...] in districts where the weather conditions are fine, the educational institutions will remain open," the chairman added.

Speaking to Geo.tv earlier in the day, Karachi Administrator and Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab had said the government has "so far [taken] no decision to close them [schools]."

Geo.tv tried to contact Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah several times but remained unsuccessful.

Met issues warning

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has issued a warning for the likelihood that a cyclonic storm will develop along the Sindh-Makran coast within the next 18 hours.

The Met Office, in the latest advisory issued on Thursday evening, said that "the depression over the northeast Arabian Sea has moved west-northwestward at a speed of 20km/h during last 12 hours, and now lies at latitude 23.0N and longitude 67.8E, at a distance of about 240km east-southeast of Karachi".

It further stated that it is at a distance of 200km from Thatta and 410km from Ormara.

"The system is likely to strengthen further into a cyclonic storm during next 12-18 hours and move west-northwestwards," it added.