Baloch Coast receives mild rains as Cyclone splits, spreads

The Baloch Hal News

GWADAR: After hitting the coast of the state of Oman, tropical cyclone ‘Phet’ maintains its low intensity as coastal areas of Gwadar have received downpour with stormy winds ahead of cyclone on Friday. Satellite images confirmed that the cyclone ‘Phet’ is splitting and spreading to a wide area minimizing the chances of heavy losses, stormy winds and high tides experts predicted

Scattered rains were reported from Turbat, Pasni, Gwadar, Jiwani, Ganz and some other coastal township while other areas of Mekran remained unaffected from cyclonic winds and rains. There were no dislocation of life in major parts of the coastal regions, people reached on telephone from Quetta told this scribe.

Ironically, the authorities have established rescue and relief centres at dilapidated school building close to the Coast in Pasni, Gwadar and other coastal towns. “We are much safer in our homes than the dilapidated school building on the coast,” residents told this Reporter.

The cyclone is said to have re-curved to the coastal belt of Sindh and Balochistan.

Director General, Meteorological Department, Dr. Qamar-uz- Zaman Chaudhary told a news channel that cyclone will re-curve to Pakistan.

The cyclone has been downgraded to category 2. According to Karachi Met office, the atmospheric pressure is extremely low in the mid and northern Arabian Sea which played a pivotal role in re- curving the storm towards Pakistan.

He said that the cyclone will lash on the Baloch coast on Saturday with a less intensity. The cyclone had lashed the Omanese Coast with a speed of 120 nautical miles per hour, weather experts said. At least 18 feet high tides were reported from Oman, officials said.

The met office predicted constant rains from 24 hours to 36 hours covering the entire Mekran Coast and finally Karachi on the Sindh Coast.

The satellite imagery indicates that the cyclone has started splitting/spreading over wide area; however, gale wind speeds reaching 60 Kns would occur along and off Mekran coast during next 48 hours and sea conditions will be very high.

Gwadar, Jiwani, Pasni and other areas started receiving downpour from 7:00 a.m Friday which is going on. The office of deputy commissioner in Gwadar has been converted into emergency cell whereas Pakistan Navy, Coast Guards and other agencies are fully prepared to cope up with the situation. Pakistan Navy has put two helicopters in standby position and fishermen have warned not to venture into the sea.

On Sunday the day coastal areas of Sindh including Karachi, Kati Bandar, Shah Bandar and the Indian state of Gujrat would also experience strong gusty winds along heavy downpour.

Muscat storm: The TC 03A over the past 6 hours has tracked Northward at 7Kns and is causing sustained wind speeds of 65 Kns at the centre, says a Pakistan Navy press release.

Available observations suggest that the system would move Northward for some time while weakening gradually, then recurve Northeastwards and emerge into Northwest Arabian sea and move Northeastwards towards Pakistan coast.

Although, the satellite imagery indicates that the cyclone has started splitting/spreading over wide area, however, gale wind speeds reaching 60 Kns would occur along and off Mekran coast during next 48 hours and sea conditions will be very high.

Pakistan Navy in its efforts to assist fishermen still stranded at sea unaware of cyclonic activity is continuously flying Maritime Surveillance Aircraft sorties.

During one such mission conducted towards Mekran coast PM 3 June 10, PN Maritime Patrol aircraft picked up around 150 fishing boats in the area and disseminated cyclone warning to the fishermen and directed them towards harbour. As a result a large number of fishing boats returned harbour and Pakistan Navy Aircraft contributed towards saving precious human lives.

In Karachi, Pakistan Army has taken all remedial measures in the wake of expected cyclone “Phet” in own area of responsibility along with the coastal belt stretching from Karachi, Thatta, Badin and other areas expected to be affected.

The troops in Karachi, Malir and Badin areas have been directed to take the required steps in coordination with NDMA, PDSMA and other related agencies and departments.

In this regard an operational coordination meeting was held at Headquarters 5 Corps on Thursday which was attended by representatives of all the three services and from PDMA, Pakistan Rangers (Sindh), Pakistan Coasts Guards, police, provincial/city district governments and other stakeholder.

According to ISPR, all necessary equipment has been staged and deployed forward to cater for any contingency in land and the coastal area and special attention has been accorded to lessons learnt during Army’s deployment on such operations earlier.