KARACHI: A low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal has started intensifying and turning into a cyclone which can result in rains in the southern part of Pakistan including Karachi.
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned about a tropical cyclone being formed in the Bay of Bengal. The Met Office said that the prevailing low-pressure area over central Bay of Bengal has intensified into a deep depression (very strong low-pressure area). The low-pressure area lies centered around latitude 18.3 N and longitude 89.5 E, at a distance of about 2425 km from Karachi.
The system is very likely to intensify into a Cyclonic Storm by Saturday evening and move westward ( towards Vishakhapatnam in Indian state of Andhra Pradesh). The PMD has clarified that there is no threat from this system to any coastal area of Pakistan.
Speaking to a media channel, meteorologist Mahesh Palawat said the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has turned into a cyclonic storm. He sais cyclones do not usually form in September in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Benga bur rather during October and November. He is a rare meteorological activity of its kind, adding it could become a cyclone by noon but its intensity will not be high
He said that due to the cyclone rains are also expected in the southern parts of Pakistan, including Karachi. In case of a cyclone, it will be named Gulab (rose) by Pakistan.
According to Indian media reports, the weather system is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm and move nearly westwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts between Vishakhapatnam and Gopalpur, by the evening of September 26. The wind speed of the weather system will vary between 75 km to 85 km, gusting up to 95 km.
The latest update by Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said a low-pressure area was formed over the Bay of Bengal concentrating into a depression, which is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours.
The weather department said the form of a cyclonic storm could remain in that shape for two days on Saturday and Sunday before weakening into a depression on Monday.
It said heavy rains at isolated places are likely on Saturday and Sunday over coastal Andhra Pradesh and heavy falls at isolated places over north interior Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Telangana.
It said squally wind speed reaching 55-65 kilometres per hour gusting to 75 kmph is very likely northwest and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal and along and off Odisha, West Bengal and north Andhra Pradesh coasts on Sunday.
