At least 170 boats lost contact with control room as cyclone Phet is 900 kilometers away from Karachi.

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ISLAMABAD: The tropical cyclone, named “Phet”, in the Arabian Sea was likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours, met office reports said.

The cyclone had moved in a northwestern direction during the past 12 hours and was now cantered at 17 degree North and 61 degree East, about 900 kilometres southwest of Karachi.

The Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre associated with the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued a warning that the fishermen of Sindh and Balochistan who are in the open sea should return to the coast immediately. All fishermen were advised not to venture in the open sea till Saturday.

Initially, the storm is likely to move in a northwestern direction close to the Oman coast and then expected to re-curve in a northeastern direction toward Pakistan’s coastal areas.

The official source at the met office told APP that the waves caused as a result of the storm can be a dozen feet high in the sea.

Under the influence of this cyclone, heavy rains accompanied with dust and thunderstorms are expected in coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

Sea conditions along the Sindh-Makran coast are also expected to be rough during the next 48 hours.

According to reports, around 170 boats were currently missing in the sea while fishermen and people living in coastal areas had been advised to keep alert as the storm was likely to approach the country’s coastal areas during the next 24 hours.

Source : DAWN.COM