Cyclone Asna no longer near Karachi

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Saturday dropped the warning for a potential cyclone over the Arabia Sea but warned the Sindh capital could still face heavy rains.

Cyclone Asna had formed on Friday as a result of widespread rainfalls brought about by a deep depression.

According to a PMD alert issued Thursday, a deep depression over the Rann of Kutch had very slowly moved west/southwest over the last 12 hours and was around 270 kilometres east/southeast of Karachi.

“The system is likely to move west/southwestwards & emerge into northeast Arabian Sea along Sindh coast by late night/ tomorrow morning,” the statement read.

The Met Office, in its Saturday alert, said the cyclone over the northeast Arabian Sea off the Sindh coast had moved further westward during the past nine hours and now lies at around about 200km southwest of Karachi, 220km south-southeast of Ormara and 380km southeast of Gwadar.

“The system is likely to track further west-southwestwards,” the Met Office added.

Schools shut, beaches closed

Schools in Karachi were shut, officials said, as heavy rain lashed Pakistan’s largest city. Authorities also sealed off beaches to the public by imposing Section 144 till August 31.

In the last twenty-four hours, Karachi has had varying amounts of rainfall; Gulshan Hadeed recorded the greatest amount at 62mm.

Gulshan Hadeed has received 128 mm of rain in the past 72 hours. Nazimabad reported 26mm, Kemari 21mm, while Surjani Town recorded 30mm yesterday from August 27 to 5 pm.