KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Saturday warned that the depression (intense low-pressure area) over the North Arabian Sea has moved in a west-southwest direction during the last 12 hours and is now located at a distance of about 450km southwest of Karachi.
In its Alert-III, the Met Office said that the system is likely to move further westwards till today evening and then recurve northeastwards and weaken gradually.
Maximum sustained surface winds are 45km per hour gusting to 55km per hour around the system centre.
“Currently none of Pakistan's coastal area is under any threat from this weather system,” the Met Office alert said, adding that PMD Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre, Karachi is closely monitoring the system and updates will be issued accordingly.
Accordingly, it mentioned that sea conditions would remain very rough during the next two days and advised fishermen of Sindh and Balochistan not to venture into the open sea till tomorrow night.
The PMD had said that heavy rains are expected today and tomorrow as the low pressure of the air in the Arabian Sea has become more intense.
The Met Office said that the metropolis may witness heavy showers on August 13 and 14 under the prevailing monsoon system. It warned the monsoon currents from the Bay of Bengal are penetrating central and lower parts of the country.
According to the forecast, rains will continue in the port city till August 14. The PMD warned that the city will be lashed with strong winds also.
Heavy showers lashed the provincial capital early Saturday, leaving roads flooded, cars submerged and commuters struggling to reach their destinations.
No casualties were immediately reported in the latest spell that began last night and disrupted life across the city in a matter of a few hours.
Due to the current wet spell in the metropolis, the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi ((BIEK) has postponed the examinations scheduled for today (August 13).
Most areas of Karachi, including KDA Chowrangi, Board Office, Numaish Chowrangi, Nagan Chowrangi, Shahra-e-Noor Jahan, Powerhouse, UP Morr, New Karachi, North Karachi and Surjani Town, also received rain and thunderstorm late night.