The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said the effects of Cyclone ‘Shakti’ could bring rain to Karachi Division and several other areas of Sindh on Friday and Saturday.
The PMD said on Friday that ‘Shakti’ may intensify into a severe cyclonic storm within the next 24 hours, potentially resulting in light to moderate rainfall.
A low-pressure system in the northeastern Arabian Sea has moved northwest over the past six hours and has intensified into Cyclone ‘Shakti’. It is currently located at latitude 21.7°N and longitude 66.8°E, approximately 360 kilometers south of Karachi.
Initially, the cyclone is expected to move in a west-northwest direction and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm within the next 24 hours. It may later shift west-southwest towards the central-northern Arabian Sea.
Due to the cyclone’s impact, light to moderate dust storms, thunderstorms, and rain are expected today and tomorrow in parts of Tharparkar, Umerkot, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Tando Muhammad Khan, Hyderabad, Matiari, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Jamshoro, Hub, Lasbela, Awaran, Kech, and Karachi Division.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into deep waters until October 5 due to very rough sea conditions near Sindh’s coast. Winds may reach 40–50 km/h, with gusts up to 55 km/h.
By the evening of October 4, wind speeds around the cyclone’s center may reach 65–75 km/h, and gusts up to 85 km/h. These speeds may further increase to 100–110 km/h, with gusts up to 125 km/h. Between October 3 and 6, the central-northern Arabian Sea could experience extremely rough seas with very high waves.
