KARACHI: Isolated light rain is expected in the coastal parts of Sindh and Balochistan today, as the cyclonic storm ‘Shakhti’ over the Arabian Sea intensified into a “severe cyclonic storm” on Saturday, the Pakistan Meteoro­logical Department (PMD) said.

The severe cyclonic storm was centred appro­ximately 480 kilometres southwest of Karachi over the northeast Arabian Sea as of Saturday.

The PMD alert, issued at 9:16pm, stated that the storm had moved west-southwestward in the preceding six hours, Dawn.com reported.

According to the department, the storm is likely to continue on a west-southwestward path and reach northwest and adjoining central north Arabian Sea before it is expected to recurve east-northeastward after Oct 5 and gradually weaken.

Under its influence, isolated light rain is expected in the districts of Badin, Thatta, and Sujawal in Sindh, and Hub, Lasbella, Awaran, and Kech in Balochistan, the PMD said.

However, the department forecasts partly cloudy weather with chances of rain, wind, and thunderstorms in isolated areas of the same districts as well as Mithi, Karachi and surrounding areas.

Hot and dry weather is forecast for most other districts of both provinces.

The PMD has issued a warning to fishermen, advising them “not to venture into deep sea till 5th October.”

Sea conditions near the Sindh coast are likely to be rough to very rough, with squally winds of 40-50 kilometres per hour, gusting to 55km/h.

Near the storm’s centre, gale-force winds are reaching 100-110km/h with gusts up to 125km/h. The Pakistan Meteoro­logical Depart­ment forecasts these could strengthen further before gradually decreasing over the next 36 hours. Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2025