Cyclonic ‘Phet’ to lash Baloch coast this noon

The Baloch Hal News

QUETTA: The tropical cyclone ‘Phet’, a Thai word meaning Diamond, is likely to lash the coast of Sindh and Balochistan during the next 24 hours.

The Metrological Department of Pakistan reported that a powerful cyclone developing in Central Indian Ocean and it is moving southward towards the Indian state of Gujrat and move further south towards the coast of  Sindh and Balochistan.

The experts predicted strong and story winds and very heavy downpour in major parts of coastal regions and Sindh and Balochistan.

According to reports reaching Quetta, heavy rains, accompanied by stormy winds are already lashing major parts of the Indian Gujarat coast adjacent to Sindh and there will be a spill over sometime on Thursday, experts predicted.

In the past few years, it will be the second tropical cyclone hitting the coastal regions of Sindh and Balochistan. During the last tropical cyclone, there were widespread rains for days causing floods in major parts of Balochistan, barring the remote regions of Quetta and northern Balochistan.

Hundreds of people lost their lives and tens of thousands of homes and residences of the people were destroyed in the flooding and torrential rains having no precedence in the history of Balochistan.

“Each and every village of Mekran and surrounding regions of Balochistan were destroyed in the flooding and torrential rains,” a journalist from Turbat recalled and told Balochistan Express on telephone.

Troops and Frontier Corps personnel came in a very big way conducting rescue and relief operations for months following the devastation in floods and torrential rains. Destruction was reported from Kachhi Plains, Central Balochistan, Chagai, Kharan and other parts of Eastern Balochistan. Only the Northern Balochistan, including the provincial Capital, remained safe in cyclonic winds and devastating rains.

There was a total disappointment as the civil administration had collapsed and failed to help the people. Even the Government servants and public servants sought help as they had no means to help others. Rather the public servants were the first victims of the natural devastation when the tropical storm lashed entire Balochistan, mainly it regions closed to the coast.

This time, the Government had created the Balochistan Disaster Management Authority and some of the officials were given exposure to the disaster management. They performed some role during the last earthquake that destroyed some parts of Ziarat Valley.

The Provincial Government had tried to take the entire network of the Disaster Management Authority to remote parts of Balochistan where the people, particularly officials, are being imparted necessary training to deal with natural disaster.

The ‘phet’ is developing stronger and according to experts the speed of winds would be more than 80 kilometers per hour accompanied with heavy rains. There is a fear of massive destruction on the Balochistan Coastal region, mainly in the far away coastal townships close to Iran.

The ‘phet’ tropical cyclone may also hit the coastal region of Iranian Balochistan as it did during the last tropical cyclone.

The Chief Minister, Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani, after receiving the information about the impending tropical cyclone hitting parts of Balochistan Coast issued instructions to the Commissioners of Kalat and Mekran Division to ensure safety and security of the people in the cyclone.

He particularly asked the officials to ensure the fishermen from the Balochistan coast to return to the coast and end their routine fishing in the deep sea.

The officials are using Radio and other means of communication asking the fishing boats to return immediately before the cyclone hits the Balochistan Coast.

The storm brewing up near Pakistan coastline in Arabian Sea has been further intensified.

The Meteorological Department warned fishermen against going to open sea and directed them to return by Wednesday’s evening.

According to Met Department, the cyclone has reached 950 kilometers southwest of Karachi.

The ferocious hurricane would hit Pakistan’s coastline after 24 hours between Friday and Saturday.

The Met Department said the cyclone Phet is advancing at a pace of 6 nautical miles and may turn towards Pakistan after crashing into Oman.

The fierce storm can unleash heavy downpours with gale-force winds in coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

Under the influence of tropical cyclone formed in Arabian Sea, widespread rain associated with strong gusty winds is also expected in Sindh including Mekran coast between Thursday to Saturday.