KARACHI: The Pakistan’s port city Karachi on Saturday experienced intermittent rains as Cyclone Asna in the Arabian Sea moved further west from the Sindh coast over the previous six hours. Areas that saw moderate to heavy rainfall included Gurumandir, Numaish, Lasbela, Soldier Bazaar, Tariq Road, I.I. Chundrigar Road, and nearby regions.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the alert issued at 3:25 PM predicted rain-thundershowers with some heavy falls and squally winds in Karachi and other parts of Sindh.
The cyclonic storm is currently about 300 km southwest of Karachi, 230 km south-southwest of Ormara, and 300 km southeast of Gwadar. It is expected to continue moving west-southwest, with no threat of landfall on any coast.
In addition to Karachi, light to moderate rains with occasional gusty winds are forecasted for Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Hyderabad, T.M. Khan, Matiari, Jamshoro, and Dadu districts in Sindh. Balochistan’s Hub, Lasbela, Awaran, Kech, and Gwadar districts may experience heavy rainfall accompanied by squally winds (60-70 km/h) until tomorrow night. There is also a warning for water logging in low-lying areas along the Makran coast.
The PMD has advised Sindh fishermen to avoid venturing into the open sea until tonight and Balochistan fishermen until tomorrow evening due to rough sea conditions with squally winds reaching 60-70 km/h and gusting up to 80 km/h.
Dr. Sardar Sarfaraz, Chief Meteorologist, emphasized that despite Cyclone Asna’s path towards Oman, its effects will still be felt in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, which is expected to experience more severe weather than Sindh. He stressed the importance of preparedness for potential heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has warned of possible damage from strong windstorms to crops, loose structures, billboards, electrical poles, solar panels, and hoardings. The public is advised to avoid seaside and beach areas due to the risk of lightning and potential disruptions to electricity and other utilities. The NDMA has instructed relevant departments to take precautions to mitigate the impacts of flooding and extreme weather.
For Karachi, the Met Department released statistics for the five-day monsoon spell from August 27 to 31:
Surjani Town: 266 mm
Gulshan-e-Hadeed: 175 mm
Quaidabad: 161 mm
Nazimabad: 122 mm
Keamari: 105 mm
Korangi and North Karachi: More than 100 mm
PAF Faisal Base: 95 mm
Old Airport: 77.5 mm
Gulshan-e-Maymar: 75.6 mm
Jinnah Terminal: 75 mm
PAF Masroor Base: 62.5 mm
Bin Qasim: 56.3 mm
Orangi Town: 44.3 mm
DHA Phase II: 43 mm
Saddar: 37 mm
Gadap: 30 mm
