KARACHI: Undergoing a weakening trend, Cyclone Nilofer – which is only 650km away from Karachi – is not expected to hit the country’s coastline, Express News reported on Thursday.
According to Pakistan Meteorological Department, the cyclone is moving at the speed of 18km/hour towards the maritime boundaries of Pakistan and India.
Chief meteorologist Tauseef Alam said the cyclone will not directly hit the shoreline of Pakistan and will only pass by it in the evening or late at night.
Karachi is expected to experience 20mm to 30mm of rain today and tomorrow because of the cyclone.
According to The Weather Channel, winds have weakened to the equivalent of tropical storm, with wind speeds of 70 mph.
SOURCE: WEATHER.COM
The Sindh government declared emergency in 10 coastal districts – including six of Karachi – and authorities have prepared to shift thousands of people out of the way of the storm.
The South Asian region is routinely hit by storms between April and November. Nilofar comes after Cyclone Hudhud that slammed into India’s east coast earlier this month, leaving some 20 people dead. The tail end of that cyclone swept into neighbouring Nepal causing snowstorms that claimed more than 40 lives in one of the country’s worst Himalayan trekking disasters.
Cyclone Phailin, which struck India last October, had winds of up to 220 kilometres per hour and caused extensive damage.
