KARACHI – Cyclone Shakti intensified into a cyclonic storm and is now just 360 kilometers from port city of Karachi, as meteorologists issue urgent warnings for heavy rainfall, strong winds, and dangerous sea conditions.
The powerful storm is expected to batter Thatta, Badin, Tharparkar, and several interior Sindh districts, putting lives and property at risk.
Met Office warned that sea winds could be up to 125 km/h, prompting an immediate and strict ban on all fishing activities. Heavy rains are predicted across Karachi and Sindh, with the cyclone likely to intensify in the coming days.
From October 3 to 6, the sea has been declared extremely dangerous, and emergency agencies have been instructed to stay on maximum alert.
Residents in lower Sindh are warned of strong windstorms and lightning strikes that could damage weak structures such as roofs and walls of kacha houses, electric poles, billboards, vehicles, and solar panels.
Meteorologists report that the deep depression over the northeast Arabian Sea has rapidly intensified into Cyclone Shakti, moving west-northwest, while a westerly wave affecting northern regions is expected to strengthen further by Saturday evening.
Partly cloudy skies are expected across most of Sindh, but isolated rain, windstorms, and thundershowers could lash Tharparkar, Badin, Mithi, Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad, Sujawal, Karachi, Thatta, Jamshoro, Khairpur, Padidan, Sanghar, Sukkur, Naushero Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad, Dadu, and surrounding areas. Residents are urged to remain vigilant and prepare for severe weather.
Cyclone Shakti
North Arabian Sea is witnessing rise of Cyclone Shakti, which intensified from deep depression into a cyclonic storm. Satellite imagery shows swirling vortex over northeast Arabian Sea, with scattered to broken clouds and intense convection stretching over the northern and central Arabian Sea, the Kutch region, and the Gulf of Kutch.
Karachi, Sindh weather: Rains, isolated heavy falls expected
