Cyclone Asna moves further southwestward, but more rains still likely in Karachi next week: PMD

Cyclone Asna has moved further southwestward during the last 12 hours weakened into a deep depression and is likely to move further southwestwards and weaken gradually, according to a notification from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued on Sunday.

The cyclone now lies Northwest over the Arabian Sea and is 350km southwest of Ormara, 370km south of Gwadar and 340km east-southeast of Musqat, Oman, PDM said in its last notification on the cyclone.

Under the influence of its circulation, “sea conditions are likely to remain rough-very rough with squally winds of 40/50 kilometres per hour gusting 60km/h till tonight,” the notification said.

While fishermen in Balochistan were advised not to venture into the open sea till tonight, those of Sindh were given the green light to resume their activities from today.

Separately — in an update on 2:29pm — PMD informed that rain was expected in the Karachi division on Monday (September 2) and Tuesday (September 3), adding that areas such as Sukkur, Larkano, Khairpur, Dadu, Jacobabad, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Sanghar could receive heavy downpour and lightning.

“Farmers are advised to manage their activities keeping in view the weather forecast,” a statement from the Met Office said.

“Travelers and tourists are advised to remain extra cautious and manage their travelling according to weather conditions and avoid any untoward situation during the wet spell,” it added

On Thursday, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab warned citizens against unnecessary movement as more rain was expected due to a potential cyclone over the Rann of Kutch in India, which was likely to emerge along the Sindh coast on Friday morning.

According to a PMD alert issued at 10pm on Thursday, a deep depression over the Rann of Kutch had very slowly moved west/southwest over the past 12 hours and lay around 250 kilometres east/southeast of Karachi.

On Friday, the deep depression was situated approximately 170 kilometres from Karachi, which made Pakistan’s coastal areas brace for rains as the storm system intensified into Cyclone Asna over the northeast Arabian Sea along Sindh’s coast.

On Saturday, Cyclone Asna steered away from Pakistan’s coastline — lying about 370 kilometres away from Karachi — but residents of Balochistan’s coastal belt still braced for expected rains brought by the weather system.