Tropical Cyclone Tej makes landfall in Yemen

KARACHI: Tropical Cyclone Tej is finally making landfall in Yemen, bringing significant rainfall and a flooding threat across the eastern half of the country and western parts of Oman.

Oman announced a two-day holiday for government and private sector employees as part its precautionary measures. Authorities are preparing to evacuate residents in the coastal areas and implement all necessary measures to support rescue operations there.The Civil Aviation Authority has of the country issued a stern advisory, asking the public to exercise extreme caution, specifically advising against crossing valleys and emphasising the importance of avoiding low-lying areas for safety.

The Marine Meteorology and Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre of the Pakistan Meteorological Department in a statement had earlier said that the extremely severe cyclonic storm “Tej” over the southwest Arabian Sea tracked further northwestward during the last 12 hours and weakened into a very severe cyclonic storm.

The cyclone was at a distance of about 1,500km southwest of Gwadar. Maximum sustained surface winds are 130-140km/h gusting 160km/h, sea conditions being high/very high and maximum wave height is 30 feet around the system.