The coastal belt of Sindh is under a cyclone alert as the region remains engulfed by the monsoon system. The Meteorological Department has indicated the possibility of a cyclone forming along Sindh’s coastal areas by tonight or tomorrow morning, issuing a high alert for the potential cyclone. Under the influence of this system, heavy rainfall is expected in Karachi and other districts of Sindh.
The Meteorological Department has released the second alert for the tropical cyclone.
According to the department, a deep depression is present over the Rann of Kutch and adjoining areas. This system is slowly moving towards the west and southwest. Over the last 12 hours, the system’s forward movement has been very slow. Currently, it is located 250 kilometers east and southeast of Karachi.
The Meteorological Department stated that the system would continue moving towards the west and southwest and may enter the northeastern Arabian Sea by tomorrow morning. This system is causing severe turbulence in the sea, with winds blowing at speeds of 50 to 60 kilometers per hour, and sometimes reaching 70 kilometers per hour.
Fishermen in Sindh have been advised not to venture into the deep sea until August 31. Fishermen in Balochistan have also been warned to avoid the deep sea until September 1.
Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfraz stated that the system could maintain its intensity and may approach the northeastern Arabian Sea and the adjacent Sindh coastal belt by tonight or tomorrow morning. If favorable weather conditions persist, it could briefly develop into a cyclone, which would be named “Asna.”
The Chief Meteorologist mentioned that the proposed name for the cyclone was suggested by Pakistan, and “Asna” means “higher.” It is highly unusual for a cyclone to form during the monsoon season.
Heavy Rainfall Expected in Karachi Until August 31
Under the influence of this system, heavy rainfall is expected in Karachi until August 31. Additionally, heavy rainfall is expected in other districts of Sindh, including Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Sujawal, Tharparkar, Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Mirpurkhas until August 31.
From August 30 to September 1, heavy rainfall is also expected in various districts of Balochistan. Heavy rains are anticipated in Hub, Lasbela, Awaran, Kech, and Gwadar until September 1.
Due to the likelihood of heavy rains in Karachi today, all public and private schools will remain closed. The Karachi Commissioner has issued a notification, and the decision was made after consultations with the Meteorological Department and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.
Light rain continued throughout the day in Karachi, with heavy showers reported in areas like Gulshan-e-Hadeed and Surjani. Over the last 24 hours, the highest rainfall in Karachi was recorded in Gulshan-e-Hadeed at 35 millimeters, while Jinnah Terminal recorded 15.8 millimeters, and Nazimabad recorded the lowest at 7.2 millimeters.
Meanwhile, due to the rain, all educational institutions in Hyderabad district will remain closed today as well. A notification from the administration stated that all public and private educational institutions in Hyderabad district would remain closed today.
It is worth noting that educational institutions in Hyderabad district were also closed yesterday due to the rains.
Furthermore, other districts of the province, including Sanghar, Nawabshah, Jamshoro, Tando Allahyar, Mirpurkhas,
and Umerkot, had already announced the closure of educational institutions for today and tomorrow.
In Badin, intermittent rain continues for the third consecutive day, causing water to enter homes. In Naushahro Feroze, persistent flooding has led to water entering residential areas and fields, with affected residents being relocated to safer locations by boat. Over fifty villages have lost road connectivity.
In Mirpurkhas, rainwater has flooded the grid station. In Thatta, lack of drainage in stormwater channels has submerged the main roads. Twenty villages in Jamshoro are underwater, and in Tando Allahyar, makeshift houses have suffered severe damage. In Umerkot, the ready crops of chili and cotton have been severely affected, forcing residents to live in tents on the roadsides.
