Cyclone threat: Schools, colleges to remain closed today across Sindh

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KARACHI: 01, OCTOBER, 2021: All public and private schools and colleges across Sindh to remain closed today (Friday) amid the cyclone threat.

On Thursday, the Sindh Education and Literacy Department announced that all public and private schools and colleges across the province would remain closed on Friday as heavy showers likely to hit the province amid cyclone Shaheen threat.

The decision was made in a meeting presided over by Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah.

On the other hand, Provincial Minister for Boards and Universities Ismail Rahu also announced closure of universities in affected districts of Sindh. 

Earlier, all Sindh Private Schools and Colleges Association announced that private schools and colleges would remain closed in the "districts affected by the rain" on Friday. 

The Pakistan Meteorological Department in its fresh alert issued yesterday said that "the depression over the northeast Arabian Sea has moved west-northwestward at a speed of 20km/h during last 12 hours, and now lies at latitude 23.0N and longitude 67.8E, at a distance of about 240km east-southeast of Karachi." 

In its report, the Weather Office added that it is at a distance of 200km from Thatta and 410km from Ormara. "The system is likely to strengthen further into a Cyclonic Storm during next 12-18 hours and move west-northwestwards." 

Rain along with wind/thundershower is likely to lash Sindh, southern Punjab, southeast Balochistan, Kashmir and its adjoining areas. On the other side, heavy showers are also expected in lower Sindh during the period while other parts of the country will face dry weather.

It is pertinent to mention here that, Pakistan Meteorological Department had advised the authorities concerned to remain alert as widespread rain and strong windstorm is likely to hit parts of Sindh.

As per weather office, the well-marked low-pressure currently lying over south Gujarat, India is likely to move north-westward and cause a depression in Arabian Sea and generation of a Cyclonic Storm by Friday.

Under this weather system, widespread rain along with heavy winds and thunderstorms with scattered heavy or very heavy falls, extremely heavy at times, accompanied with squally winds are likely in almost entire Sindh from today till Saturday.

Torrential rains may generate urban flooding in Karachi, Badin, Thatta, Hyderabad, Dadu, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Lasbela, Sonmiani, Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar, Turbat and Jiwani.

The Met Office s statement said that the rain system is present in Indian Gujarat, while the rain system is developing in Karachi, other parts of Sindh and Balochistan and warned about torrential rains till October 3.

PMD Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre, Karachi is closely monitoring the system and updates will be issued accordingly.

Temperature of some major cities this morning was recorded as 24 degree centigrade in Islamabad, 27 degrees in Lahore, Karachi 30, Peshawar 28, Quetta 20, Murree 16, Gilgit 14 and Muzaffarabad 22 degree centigrade.

On the other hand, Administrator Karachi Murtaza Wahab in a message on Twitter said that CM Sindh has assigned duties to Ministers for districts expected to receive heavy rain.

For Karachi duties have been assigned to Mukesh Chawla (District South), Saeed Ghani (District East), Taimur Talpur (District Korangi), Shehla Raza (District Central), Sajid Jokhio (District Malir), Liaqat Askani (District Keamari) and Waqar Mehdi (District West).

On the other hand, Commissioner Karachi Naveed Shaikh on Thursday imposed section 144 over coastal areas, barring the citizens from sea bathing amid cyclone Shaheen threat.

According to the notification issued in this regard, the ban has been imposed in view of the Meteorological Department's forecast for cyclone Shaheen. 

The ban on sea bathing will remain enforce till October 5.

On the other hand, Commissioner Karachi also issued a notification based on the orders to remove billboards and hoardings from the city. (04)

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