Cyclone Asna now 170km away from Karachi: PMD

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) in its fourth alert said that a potential cyclone that had developed over the Rann of Kutch in India has intensified into cyclone Asna.

The cyclone Asna currently lies at around Latitude 23.5 N & Longitude 67.9 E at about 170km south/southeast of Karachi and 88km south of Kati Bandar, the weather department said in its fourth alert.

The system is likely keep moving initially west/northwestwards.

“Under its influence, widespread rain/wind-thunderstorms with scattered heavy/very heavy and isolated extremely heavy falls likely in Karachi division, Tharparker, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Hyderabad, T.M Khan, T.A Yar, Matiari, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Jamshoro, Dadu & Shaheed Benazirabad districts till 31 August.”

“Widespread rain/wind-thunderstorm with scattered heavy/very heavy and isolated extremely heavy falls also likely in Hub, Lasbella, Awaran, Keach & Gwadar districts during 30 August to 1st September with occasional gaps,” according to PMD.

As a result, heavy rains may create water logging/rain inundation in low lying areas of Sindh-Makran coast.

The Met Office said that sea conditions are likely to remain rough/very rough with squally winds of 60-70 Km/hour gusting 80Km/hour.

However, it advised fishermen of Sindh not to venture into sea till 31 August and those of Balochistan till 1st September.

“PMD’s cyclone warning center, Karachi is closely monitoring the system and will issue the update accordingly,” it added.