KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has said none of Pakistan’s coastal areas face any threat from the tropical cyclone.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the cyclonic storm “Tauktae” in the southeast Arabian Sea intensified into a severe cyclonic storm that tracked northwestward at a speed of 18km and lay centered at a distance of about 1,310km south-southeast of Karachi.
“The maximum sustained winds approximately the system center are 100-120 km/h gusting to 140Km/h,” PMD said. The department said the storm didn’t pose a serious threat to Pakistan’s coastal areas. However, it has forecast dust/thunderstorm-rain with few moderate to heavy falls and gusty winds of 60-80km per hour in Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Sanghar districts during May 17- 20, PMD predicated.
Dust/thunderstorm-rains with isolated moderate/heavy falls and gusty winds of 40-60km/h are also expected in the metropolis, Hyderabad, Jamshoro and Shaheed Benazirabad during May 18-20.
According to PMD officials, “It’s changing its position and does not pose the same threat as it looked like on Saturday morning. It seems that we will likely experience its minimal peripheral effects including thunderstorm-rains and gusty winds,” said the official, adding that it was the first cyclonic storm in 2021.
About Karachi, the official said the city influenced by the system was expected to see very hot weather conditions. “It shouldn’t be called a heatwave. The rise in temperature ranging between 42 and 43 degrees Celsius is likely to occur when the sea breeze will be blocked by the system in the next two days.”
The cyclonic storm “Tauktae” is likely to further intensify into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ during the next 6 to 12 hours and move further in the northwest direction, reaching the Indian city of Gujarat by May 18 afternoon or evening.
On Saturday, Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah had declared an emergency in all districts of the province located along the coastal belt as cyclone Tauktae intensifies.
According to a statement, the decision was taken as a precaution so that any untoward situation can be avoided. Chairing a meeting at the CM House, Murad Ali Shah has directed the authorities to establish a control room for monitoring the situation,
“A control room should be established at the chief secretary’s office to keep close coordination with all the districts, in respect of their requirements and giving them necessary instruction on behalf of the government,” he said.
CM Murad directed the administration in Karachi to start clearing all the choking points of nullas. He directed authorities to start removing all billboards and neo-signs.
The chief minister asked builders to take precautionary measures for the security of their under-construction buildings, directing the PDSMA to provide dewatering machines and generators to the district administration in the city and in the other districts where required.
He also directed the Minister of Local Government Nasir Shah and Minister Rehabilitation, Faraz Dero, to stay in Karachi and personally monitor the arrangements.
