ASNA cyclone lies 120km away from south of Karachi, says PMD

KARACHI: The Meteorological Department has issued the fifth cyclone alert, indicating that a cyclone has formed in the Northeast Arabian Sea.

According to the MET office, the ASNA has moved westward during past 6 hours and now lies at around Latitude 23.8 N & Longitude 66.6 E at about 120km south of Karachi, 180 southwest of Thatta, 250km southeast of Ormara and 440km east-southeast of Gwadar. The system is likely keep moving initially west-northwestwards and then west-southwestwards.

Under its influence, rain-thundershowers with few heavy falls and accompanied with squally winds (60-70Km/hour gusting 80Km/hour) likely in Karachi division, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Hyderabad, T.M Khan, T.A Yar, Matiari, Jamshoro and Dadu districts of Sindh till 31 August and in Hub, Lasbella, Awaran, Keach & Gwadar districts of Balochistan till 1st September.

Heavy rains may create water logging in low lying areas of Makran coast.

Sea conditions are likely to remain rough/very rough with squally winds of 60-70 Km/hour gusting 80Km/hour. Fishermen of Sindh are advised not to venture into sea till 31 August and those of Balochistan till 1st September, the alert read.

PMD’s cyclone warning center, Karachi is closely monitoring the system and will issue the update accordingly. The concerned authorities are requested to keep them abreast through PMD advisory.

Earlier in the day, Karachi experienced the severe effects of a deep depression in the Arabian Sea, with strong winds causing trees to fall in various areas, resulting in the tragic death of a woman.