KARACHI, May 9: A tropical cyclone in the Arabian Sea, which was 980km from the city on Saturday evening was gaining speed and moving in the north-north-westerly direction.
The cyclone was 800km from the city at mid-night Sunday.
Chief meteorologist of the Pakistan Meteorological Department Arif Mehmood told Dawn on Sunday night that the cyclone, which had been moving at a speed of 3.7 nautical mile per hour on Saturday, was heading in the north-north-westerly direction at a speed of 10 nautical mile per hour on Sunday.
"The cyclone is moving with maximum sustained winds of 50 knots (92.6km per hour) gusting to 60 knots (111.12km). The speed of a cyclone, which is linked to the winds accompanying it, could increase or decrease. But the speed of a severe tropical cyclone usually goes up," he explained.
A press release issued by the Met Office says that under the influence of the cyclone, widespread rains/dust-thundershowers are expected in lower Sindh (with some moderate to heavy falls in Badin and Thatta districts) and adjoining areas of the Balochistan coast during the next 48 hours.
"The tropical cyclone (01A) is likely to enter the north Arabian sea on Monday. The sea conditions are likely to be very rough. Fishermen of the Sindh coast and the Lasbella coast are strictly advised to stay away from their fishing activities for the next two to three days.
However, fishermen of the Balochistan coast (west of Ormara) can continue their activities within an area of 30km on Monday. All fishermen who are still in the open sea, especially on the eastern side of the Arabian Sea, are advised to return to their bases at the most by Monday evening," the press release says.
