KARACHI: Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) in its third alert on Tropical Cyclone Gulab in the Bay of Bengal on Sunday said that the cyclone has been at a distance of about 2200km from Karachi. The Cyclonic Storm over west-central Bay of Bengal has moved westward during last 12 hrs and now lies centred around latitude 18.3N and longitude 87.2E.

"The system is very likely to keep moving westward and cross North Andhra Pradesh-Orissa coast, India by this evening or early night," the PMD said in its alert. There is no threat to any coastal area of Pakistan from this system, the Met Office said.

According to weather reports, the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has turned into a cyclonic storm. A weather expert said that, cyclones do not usually form in September in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. They form in months of October and November. "It is a rare meteorological activity of its kind".

"Under the influence of this weather system rains are also expected in the southern parts of Pakistan including Karachi, after central India and Gujarat".

It is to be mentioned here that the PMD had earlier forecast rainfall with wind and thunderstorm in south-eastern parts of Sindh including Karachi from Sep. 28. Tropical Cyclone 'Gulab' is the third cyclone of 2021 after 'Tauktae' and 'Yaas' that had formed in the pre-monsoon window of cyclones in the region in May this year.