PMD warns fishermen not to venture into sea until Sunday

• Karachi expected to experience intermittent heavy downpours.
• Weather system moving towards west and south-west: PMD.
• Sea is likely to be rough for a couple of days, says Met Office.

KARACHI: After a deep depression moved further closer towards Sindh in the Arabian Sea, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Friday warned fishermen and sailors not to venture into the sea until Sunday.

The weather office said the depression could develop into a cyclonic storm, causing flooding in cities as well as flash floods in hilly areas in coming days.

Heavy rains and stormy winds have already battered a slew of districts in different parts of the country.

The PMD in its warning said the fishermen of Sindh should not venture into the sea till August 31 and fishers of Balochistan till September 1, owing to the threat of rough sea.

The department said Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta and other districts of Sindh were expected to experience intermittent heavy downpours till August 31.

Whereas, added, Hub, Lasbela, Awaran, Kech and Gwadar districts might witness torrential showers till Sunday.

Meanwhile, issuing its third alert for the tropical cyclone, the Met Office said the deep depression was present near India’s Rann of Kutch and its adjacent areas.

“The system has been moving towards west and south-west, though slowly, during the last 12 hours,” it said.

The PMD said the system was located 200 kilometers east and southeast of Karachi.

“This system will continue to move further west and southwest. The system may enter the Arabian Sea and adjoining Indus coastline by evening today,” the meteorological department said.

It said because of this system there would be severe flooding in the sea, as winds in the sea are already blowing at 50 to 60 km an hour with gusts of 70 kmph.