'High alert': Tropical cyclone 340km away from Karachi

• PMD issues alert for tropical cyclone, torrential rains and squally winds along Sindh-Makran Coast.
• "System likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm during next 24 hours and move northwestwards," warns Met Office.
• The cities likely to get influenced by the weather condition include Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, etc.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued a warning on Thursday about the formation of a tropical cyclone in the Northeast Arabian Sea which is likely to usher in torrential rains and squally winds along the Sindh-Makran Coast.

According to the PMD, the tropical cyclone is 340km away from Karachi.

The well-marked low-pressure area over south Gujarat, India after moving over Northeast Arabian Sea has intensified into a "depression and now lies around latitude 22.5°N and longitude 69.4°E, at a distance of about 340 km in east-southeast direction of Karachi". 

The notification said: "The system is likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours and move northwestwards."

Under the influence of this weather system, "widespread rain-wind-thunderstorms with scattered heavy and very heavy falls, extremely heavy at times, accompanied with squally winds" are likely in Sindh. 

The cities likely to get influenced include Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Thaparker, Umerkot, Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Nosheroferoz, Tando Muhammad Khan (TMK), Tando Allayar (TAY), Dadu, Jamshoro, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Shikarpur and  Ghotki districts from today (September 30) afternoon till late evening to Saturday (October 2).

Meanwhile, the alert notification added that widespread rain-wind-thunderstorms with scattered heavy and very heavy falls, extremely heavy at times, are likely to occur in Gwadar, Lasbela, Awaran, Kech, Khuzdar, Kalat and Panjgur districts of Balochistan from Thursday (September 30) to Sunday (October 3).

The Met Office warned that sea conditions would remain rough and very rough with high surge at times till October 3 (Sunday).

"Fishermen are advised not to venture in the sea from Thursday (September 30) to Sunday (October 3)," the notification read.

The department also underlined that torrential rains may generate urban flooding in Karachi, Badin, Thatta, Hyderabad, Dadu, Mirpurkhas, Shaeed Benazirabad, Lasbela, Sonmiani, Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar, Turbat and Jiwani.

"Windstorms may cause damages to vulnerable structures," it warned.

Keeping in view the weather conditions all concerned authorities are directed to remain "High Alert" during the forecast period.

The Met Office said that the PMD Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre, Karachi, is closely monitoring the system.