The low-pressure monsoon system over the Arabian Sea has turned into a deep depression and is likely to strengthen into a cyclonic storm in the next six hours, a fresh alert issued by Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) stated on Friday.
The Met Office said that the storm is at a distance of 160 kilometers from Karachi, 140 kilometers from Thatta, and 270 kilometers from Ormara. "The system is heading towards Makran coast and will trigger heavy rains and thunderstorms in the coastal belt and other parts of Sindh," the Met department warned.
"Depression over the northeast Arabian Sea moved west-northwestward at a speed of 15km/hr during last 12 hours, concentrated into a deep depression and now lies centered near latitude 23.5N and longitude 66.5E." It added that the sea condition is rough around the system center.
Cyclone Gulab: Karachi gears up for thunderstorm as low-pressure system strengthens
"Widespread rain-wind-thunderstorms with scattered heavy/very heavy falls, extremely heavy at times, accompanied with squally winds are likely in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Dadu and Jamshoro districts from today (October 1) till Saturday (October 2)," the PMD said.
It also forecasts that rain coupled with strong winds and thunderstorms will hit Gwadar, Lasbela, Awaran, Kech, Khuzdar, Kalat, and Panjgur districts of Balochistan that will continue till October 3.
"Torrential rains may generate urban flooding in Karachi, Badin, Thatta, Hyderabad, Dadu, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Lasbela, Sonmiani, Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar, Turbat and Jiwani," it maintained.
The Met Office has warned that windstorms may cause damage to vulnerable structures while sea conditions would remain rough with a high surge at times till October 3. It advised the fishermen not to venture into the sea.
Evacuations as Cyclone Gulab bears down on eastern India
Earlier, the PMD had predicted that the well-marked low-pressure area currently lying over south Gujarat, India is likely to move northwestward. The system is likely to emerge in the Northeast Arabian Sea and will further intensify into a cyclonic storm by October 1.
On Wednesday, Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab also chaired a meeting of various department heads and instructed officials to use all available resources to protect people from various hazards during the rains.
In addition, all civic agencies, including the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB) have been put on high alert to counter any emergency situation.
The Sindh Education and Literacy Department also announced that all private and government schools, colleges would remain closed across the province today amid the cyclone threat.