Rescue workers and fisherfolk who had returned to the shores after heeding to the Met Office’s forecast of tropical cyclone in Arabian Sea can relax now: weather officials on Tuesday cancelled the Monday advisory that predicted formation of cyclone. “The phenomenon of the formation of a tropical cyclone in Eastern Arabian Sea near the western coast of India has now converted into a depression,” explained Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD)-Sindh Chief Meteorologist Naeem Shah told Pakistan Today.
“This development is likely to bring heavy rainfall, accompanied with thunderstorms, in southern Sindh on Wednesday. Karachi, Thatta, and Badin in Sindh, as well as the Makran coast of Balochistan will receive the rainfall,” Shah explained, adding that the strong weather system will continue for three days and could cause heavy rains till Friday. Quoting the latest meteorological data, Shah said that the well-marked low pressure area that was developed in Eastern Arabian Sea near the western coast of India centred at 19.3 N and 75 E had now moved to 17.5 N and 70.5 E.
The Met Office had issued an advisory on Monday about the formation of a cyclone in the Arabian Sea, after which some fishermen in Sindh and Balochistan had returned home from the deep sea.
A large number of the fishermen preferred to continue routine fishing, claiming that they didn’t trust the forecasts of the Meteorological Department. “We do not believe in the advisories sent by the Met Office as they are always wrong,” said Achar Mallah, a fisherman from the historic settlement of Rehri Goth. “They [met department officials] usually retract their forecasts a few hours after issuing them. We believe in and rely on the traditional folk wisdom, which says that there is no possibility of the formation of cyclone right now.”
It is worth remembering that in June last year, cyclone Phet had ravaged the coast in District Thatta and Makran.
