Cyclone Tauktae is 650 kilometres south-southeast of Karachi, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, but it poses no danger to the country’s coastline.
The cyclone was 800 kilometres south-southeast of Karachi, according to PMD.
The cyclone was 580 kilometres south of Thatta, according to the new PMD warning. “Maximum sustained winds around the system centre are 180-200 Kmph gusting 220 Kmph.”
The system is expected to travel farther north for a while before recurving to the northeast and crossing Indian Gujarat by midnight today, according to the forecast.
The Cyclonic Storm “Tauktae” has been tracking northward at 15 km/h for the past 12 hours and is now centred around latitude 20.4N and longitude 71.2E, according to the PMD.
Until tomorrow evening, very hot and dry weather with gusty winds is expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Shaheed-Banzirabad, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Tando Allahyar, and Thatta districts.
Fruit orchards in the aforementioned districts can be harmed by strong winds.
“Sea conditions will remain rough to very rough and fishermen of Sindh are advised to suspend their activities till May 19, 2021.”
Meanwhile, officials in India’s Gujarat state evacuated over 200,000 citizens and closed ports and major airports as the most strong cyclone in more than two decades made landfall in the state.
The rain became heavier, and many power outages were recorded throughout the state. Electricity poles and trees were uprooted, and houses were destroyed in Gujarat’s coastal regions, according to state officials.
The brunt of the hurricane, which crashed into the state’s shore, is likely to last many hours, adding to the burden on Indian officials, who are still dealing with a large number of COVID-19 infections.
“This cyclone is a terrible double blow for millions of people in India whose families have been struck down by record COVID-19 infections and deaths. Many families are barely staying afloat,” said Udaya Regmi, South Asia head of delegation, International Federation of Red Cross.
According to officials, the cyclone has already killed at least 16 people and left a path of devastation as it passed through the coastal states of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra.
“The landfall process has started, and it is expected to last for four hours. The intensity of the Cyclone Tauktae will go down once it is over,” Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said in a social media address on late Monday evening.
