Black clouds loom over Muscat in the early hours of June, 03, 2010, as authorities begin the evacuation of the Omani island of Masirah over fears that Cyclone Phet might hit the countrys east coast on the Arabian Sea, a civil defence official said. - AFP Photo

With Cyclone Phet slowly making its way towards Pakistan, all possible precautionary measures must be taken. Though this country does not have a very good track record when it comes to dealing with natural disasters, this time round there appears to be some sort of official contingency plan in place. This may partly be due to increased media interest in covering potential natural disasters as well as the bitter experiences of the past. Brittle infrastructure in the cities collapses whenever inclement weather strikes, while smaller towns and rural areas are even more ill-prepared to deal with natural disasters.

In Karachi heavy downpours have paralysed the metropolis in the past, while strong winds that sent giant hoardings flying killed a number of people in 2007. How prepared we are this time will only be known when the cyclone makes landfall. At the time of writing, the Met office had issued a warning that by late Thursday night the cyclone would have hit the coastal areas of Oman. It was expected to hover over the sultanate for 24 hours before striking Pakistan.

Though Phet may lessen in intensity by the time it gets here, meteorologists have forecast heavy rains and gusty winds in the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan until Tuesday. Sixty thousand people from vulnerable areas have been evacuated while hospitals have been put on alert. However, news that people in several coastal villages in districts Thatta and Badin are not willing to shift to safer ground despite the cyclone threat is reason for concern. Citizens must be persuaded to shift for their own safety. It should be recalled that floods in the aftermath of 2007's Cyclone Yemyin killed hundreds, while thousands were displaced in Sindh and Balochistan. Cyclone 2A, which devastated Thatta and Badin in 1999, caused major fatalities. Hence the people of the vulnerable areas must cooperate with the authorities to reduce chances of the loss of life. There are also reports that scores of fishing boats are still out at sea, many without radio communication facilities. The navy and coast guard should speed up efforts to rescue the fishermen.