KARACHI – The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) announced that the severe cyclonic storm SHAKHTI, which had been developing over the west-central and adjoining northwest regions of the Arabian Sea, has now weakened into a cyclonic storm.
According to the latest advisory, the system is currently centered near Latitude 19.6°N and Longitude 60.4°E, approximately 910 kilometers southwest of Karachi.
The PMD said that the cyclone is likely to continue moving east-southeastwards and weaken further into a depression within the next 24 hours.
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Under its influence, isolated light rain is expected in coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan today.
The Met Department has cautioned that sea conditions will remain high to very rough, with squally winds of 70–90 km/h, gusting up to 90 km/h, along the Sindh coast. Fishermen have been strictly advised to avoid venturing into the deep sea until October 7, after which conditions are expected to gradually improve.
Wind speeds around the storm center are currently reaching 80–90 km/h, gusting to 100 km/h, but are expected to decrease gradually to 45–55 km/h gusting 65 km/h as the system weakens further. Sea conditions, which are presently very rough to high, will also begin to calm over the next 24 hours.