Rains to continue in Sindh, Balochistan till Sunday

KARACHI: Different parts of Karachi on Friday received light to moderate rain against the prediction of heavy showers, under the influence of tropical cyclone Shaheen, which moved away from the city, giving the people a sigh of relief.

While the Cyclone Shaheen has moved away from Karachi’s coast, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast isolated thunderstorms and light rain to continue on Saturday.

The PMD officials said the cyclone, expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Saturday, was barreling 400 kms away from Karachi towards Makran coast and that of Oman but in the process could cause severe rains in coastal areas of Gwadar, Lasbela, Awaran, Kech, Khuzdar and Panjgur districts of Balochistan till Oct 3 (Sunday).

“Isolated thunderstorms and light rains are also expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin and Dadu districts,” the Met office advisory said “The Cyclonic Storm Shaheen moved west-northwestward during the last six hours with a speed of 15kms/hr, intensified into a Severe Cyclonic Storm and now lies about 400 kms southwest of Karachi, 240 kms from Ormara and 250 kms southeast of Gwadar,” an alert issued by the PMD on Friday evening said.

According to the Met alert, the estimated maximum sustained surface winds of the cyclone ranged from 90-110 km/hr and the sea conditions are expected to remain rough to very rough around the system’s centre. It is likely to move west-northwestwards by Saturday evening and then recurve southwestward towards Muscat, the Omani coast.

Meanwhile, different parts of Karachi received light to moderate rain on Friday without disrupting the civic life that remained functional. According to the PMD, various areas received maximum of 24mm of rain on Friday, which included Nazimabad, DHA, PAF Base Masroor, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Kemari and Quaidabad areas.