The Meteorological Department has issued an urgent alert about a developing cyclone in the northeastern Arabian Sea, located approximately 250 kilometers east-southeast of Karachi.
The system, currently categorized as a deep depression, is slowly moving west-southwest and could intensify into a cyclone due to favorable environmental conditions.
Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfraz explained that while the depression is moving slowly, it is expected to strengthen as it moves over the sea.
“With favorable sea conditions, the system’s intensity will likely increase, potentially becoming a cyclone by tomorrow morning,” Sarfraz noted.
Named Cyclone Asna by the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the storm could bring heavy rain and strong winds to various districts in Sindh and Balochistan.
Potentially affected areas include Karachi, Hyderabad, Tharparkar, Badin, Thatta, Sajawal, Matiari, Umarkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Jamshoro, Dadu, and Shaheed Benazirabad.
Warnings have also been issued for Hub, Lasbela, Awaran, Kech, and Gwadar districts, where heavy rains with strong winds are expected until September 1.
Fishermen have been advised to avoid going out to sea from August 31 to September 1, as conditions are expected to be dangerous.
The Meteorological Department is closely monitoring the situation and will release the next tropical cyclone advisory at 10 PM tonight. Residents in the affected areas are urged to stay informed and take necessary precautions.
In the past 24 hours, significant rainfall was recorded in Sindh, with Tharparkar receiving the highest amount at 347 mm, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD) latest report.
Karachi received a total of 190 mm of rain, with Sarjani Town recording the highest rainfall in the city at 30 mm. Other districts also experienced substantial rainfall, including Mirpurkhas (143 mm), Hyderabad (116 mm), and Badin (112 mm).
The Meteorological Department also reported maximum wind speeds of 67 km/h at Masroor base and 52 km/h at Faisal base.
With the PMD forecasting up to 200 mm of rain in Karachi and 500 mm in other Sindh cities, authorities are on high alert to mitigate the risk of urban flooding.
