Cyclone not to hit Pakistan: Met office

The intensity of cyclone moving towards coastal line of Sindh and Balochistan has weakened, met office said on Saturday.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department said the cyclone would not hit the coastal areas of Pakistan as had been expected earlier. The press release by the met office further said the air pressure would be converted to a cyclone after 24 to 36 hours, but its intensity would not be as high as it was forecasted earlier and it would not hit Pakistani coastal line, the press release said.

The expected cyclone could cause heavy rains and winds in coastal areas of Sindh and Baluchistan, while control rooms were put on high alert for any emergency in Karachi, Badin, Thata, Hyderabad and Tandu Muhammad Khan. The fishermen had also been advised not to go in deep waters for next two to three days.

Meanwhile Sindh Provincial Minister Muzaffar Shajra told journalists that the cyclone would pass through Thatha, Badin, Karachi and Gawadar and then divert to Oman.

He said all necessary steps had been taken for any possible emergency while Army, Navy, police, Rangers and district management had been put on high alert to tackle any crisis.