Storm movement to bring heavy downpours, squally winds in coastal districts of Balochistan: PMD

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued its seventh advisory on Saturday regarding Cyclonic Storm “Asna,” which has moved further west-southwestward over the past six hours in the Arabian Sea.

The storm is currently located at Latitude 23.3 N and Longitude 64.5 E, approximately 300 km southwest of Karachi, 230 km south-southwest of Ormara, and 300 km southeast of Gwadar.

The system is expected to continue tracking west-southwestward.

As a result of the storm’s movement, the PMD forecasts rain-thundershowers, with some areas experiencing heavy downpours accompanied by squally winds reaching speeds of 60-70 km/h in the districts of Hub, Lasbella, Awaran, Kech, and Gwadar in Balochistan until tomorrow night.

Light to moderate rain, with occasional gusty winds, is also expected in Karachi, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Matiari, Jamshoro, and Dadu districts of Sindh.

The heavy rains may lead to waterlogging in low-lying areas along the Makran coast. Additionally, sea conditions are likely to remain rough to very rough, with squally winds gusting up to 80 km/h.

Fishermen in Sindh have been advised to avoid venturing into the open sea until tonight, while those in Balochistan are cautioned to stay ashore until tomorrow evening.

The PMD’s cyclone warning center in Karachi is closely monitoring the situation and will provide further updates as necessary. Authorities have been urged to stay informed through PMD advisories to ensure timely action.

At least 24 people have reportedly died due to rain and wind-related incidents in the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

Rain related incidents

In Sindh, at least nine people lost their lives in rain-related incidents across the districts of Jamshoro, Dadu, and Mirpurkhas.

Over 30 individuals were injured as the downpour caused sewers to overflow, breached dykes, and destroyed numerous mud houses.

In a village in Toba Tek Singh, a man and his sister tragically died, while three other family members were injured when their house roofs collapsed during the heavy rains in the area.

Meanwhile at least two people were killed in Karachi including a 50-year-old woman, Shamim Bibi, who was killed when a tree fell on her near Baitul Mukarram Mosque on University Road in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

Another fatality occurred in Korangi’s Sector 51-C, where a 25-year-old man, Muhammad Sameer, was electrocuted while working at home.

In Balochistan, 13 people were swept away by flash floods in the regions of Loralai, Qila Saifullah, Duki, Harnai, and Jhal Magsi.

Officials reported that seven members of a family were carried away by floodwaters in Loralai, but they were rescued after five hours.

In the Alanbar area of Duki, five individuals were swept away while attempting to cross a seasonal stream. Four were rescued, but one remains missing. Another person is also missing in Jhal Magsi after drowning in floodwaters.

12 of a family died when the roof of their home collapsed due to a landslide induced by incessant rainfall in Upper Dir.

Meanwhile, at least 28 people have died this week from rain-related incidents in the Indian state.