Pakistan evacuates 60,000 as cyclone Phet looms

[Neo]

Pakistan evacuates 60,000 as cyclone Phet looms

Thursday, 03 Jun, 2010

Emergency has been imposed at the coastal areas by the Pakistani Navy as cyclone Phet nears.

UN issues flash floods warning for coastal areas UN issues flash floods warning for coastal areas KARACHI: A major cyclone was closing in on Pakistan's coastline, where the president ordered immediate precautionary measures and around 60,000 residents were being evacuated Thursday, officials said.

Tens of thousands were being evacuated from vulnerable coastal villages in the southern province of Sindh and another half a million could be affected in Balochistan province if Cyclone Phet smashes into Pakistan.

President Asif Ali Zardari ordered the military and government to take “immediate precautionary measures” as the tropical cyclone approached.

“Cyclone Phet has almost reached the Oman coast and could recurve towards Pakistan's coastline of Balochistan and Sindh in the next 24-36 hours,” Naeem Shah, a meteorological department official, told AFP.

Hospitals have been put on alert, medicine and equipment stockpiled, while tinned rations and clothes are being arranged, authorities said.

Forecasters warned the cyclone could uproot power and communication lines along the coast but believed there would be less impact on Karachi.

The cyclone was packing winds of 150 kilometres (90 miles) an hour but was likely to lessen by the time it reaches Pakistan.

Authorities in Sindh, of which Karachi is the capital, said they have evacuated around 60,000 people from coastal villages, where poor infrastructure and communications make them vulnerable to storms.

“We have shifted them to hundreds of relief camps established in school buildings in the area,” Munir Memon, a senior official in the provincial relief commission, told AFP.

“We have a better infrastructure and improved health facilities in Karachi which makes the city much safer from such catastrophes,” Memon said.

Pakistan's meteorological department has predicted heavy rainfall and strong winds along the coast over the next three days.

Forecasters say seas will be stormy and Pakistan's Maritime Security Agency said it had ordered all boats to remain in harbours.

In Balochistan, the head of the southwestern province's disaster management authority, said 500,000 people in coastal towns are under threat from the cyclone.

“The authority has taken all precautionary measures to deal with the situation and to evacuate people to areas at least 10 kilometres (six miles) away from the sea in case the cyclone hits,” said Mohammad Hassan Baloch.

The fishermen organisation said that over 170 fishing boats with 5,000-6,000 fishermen on board were still in the sea and a search operation would be launched on Thursday with the help of the navy.

Pakistan Navy released a press note to warn the fishermen and coastal areas inhabitants that the storm will hit Pakistani shores on June 7 and 8.

It is also stated that Sea King helicopters and frigates are on high alert for search and rescue operations, while two helicopters are continuously in air to observe the situation.—AFP/ Dawn

DAWN.COM | Front Page | Pakistan evacuates 60,000 as cyclone Phet looms

[Neo]

[Neo]

[Lady Macbeth]

Originally Posted by Neo

The fishermen organisation said that over 170 fishing boats with 5,000-6,000 fishermen on board were still in the sea and a search operation would be launched on Thursday with the help of the navy.

Apparently there are nearly 250 fishing boats missing at sea....may the poor people be safe and return to their families safe and sound.

[UmairP]

Isn't there any way of informing them about the coming cyclone ? It happens always that the fisher men go missing. There has to be a way to save those lives.

[Neo]

Warnings are issued by our Coast Guards but many local fisher men have traditional boats with no comms.

[Neo]

[Neo]

The eye of the hurricane is above Muscat in Oman (see picture) and its leaving the coast at 90kts-956mb. It will gain strength at sea before heading to Karachi.

[Neo]

Cyclone expected to approach here Sunday, lose intensity

Don’t fret about Phet yet, says Met

KARACHI: Tropical cyclone ‘Phet’, which was earlier to hit the coastal areas of Pakistan on Friday, is now expected to approach on Sunday after re-curving from Oman’s coastal belt.

According to the 6th cyclone warning of the Pakistan Met Department (PMD) issued here Thursday, the cyclone is likely to hit Oman’s coastal area in next six hours and expected to remain stationary there for 24 hours.

It further said the cyclone might start re-curving towards Pakistan’s coastal areas and lose some of its intensity during the process. It would turn into a moderate intensity tropical cyclone with maximum sustained wind of about 70-90 kilometres per hour with the associated storm surge of 3-5 metres.

Under the influence of this cyclone, fairly widespread rainfall accompanied by strong winds was likely in the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan between Saturday and Tuesday.

PMD’s Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre has warned the fishermen of Sindh and Balochistan in the open sea to return to the coast immediately. app

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

[Neo]

Three islands stand exposed: Phet likely to hit Karachi by Sunday

KARACHI (June 04 2010): The tropical cyclone Phet is now expected to hit the Karachi coasts on Sunday instead of Friday. It was roaring about 850 km south-west of Karachi on Thursday evening, according to Met Office. Meteorologist Muhammad Riaz told Business Recorder on Thursday that the cyclone, which was earlier forecast to strike the Sindh's shorelines on Friday, was now expected on Sunday.

He said that the atmospheric condition around Oman coasts was primarily causing the cyclone to slow its pace. According to the Met Office warning 6, the cyclone was likely to smash the Oman coasts in the next six hours and may stationary there for about 24 hours before reverting towards Pakistan's shorelines.

It says that the slow pace of the cyclone suggests that it will likely hit the country's coasts sometime on June 6, Sunday with less intensity. It could be moderate with maximum sustained winds at the speed between 70 and 90 km per hour near the centre and could cause surge in sea waves between three meters and five meters, the warning adds.

The cyclone is also expected to bring fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls with strong gusty winds in Sindh and Balochistan coastal areas between Saturday and Tuesday, it says. On Thursday morning, the cyclone Phet was moving at a maximum sustained speed of wind between 118 and 220 km per hour near the centre. Later, it was forecast moving towards Oman (about 850 Km south-west of Karachi), according to the warning.

Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre of Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned the fishermen of Sindh and Balochistan to return to the coasts from seas immediately. It also advised the resting fishermen to avoid venturing at open seas. Meanwhile, Baba, Bhit and Shamsphir - three small islands of Keamari, where government is yet to set up emergency camps for thousands of inhabitants, are vulnerable to the fast approaching cyclone Phet, President Bonafide Fishermen and Boat Owners Welfare Association, Asif Bhatti told Business Recorder on Thursday.

These islets lie much below sea level and are exposed to the perils of cyclone, as even the Met Office had forecast that tides ranging between six to eight meters could inundate them, he added. Bhatti said, "Pakistan Navy and Maritime Security Agency (MSA) are the only two state institutions which are working for the safety and rescue of fishermen voyaging in deep sea, while civil administration has not yet reached here" and added that that the fishermen community and their families constitutes a population of around 120,000 in the area.

During a short trip to the seaport navigational channel, vigilant patrolling of MSA was witnessed, as its personnel are continuously in touch with fishing boats in deep sea. Captain of a fishing boat, Abdul Latif, who had just returned from the sea told Business Recorder about the island people who, according to Latif, were worried about their lives as well as belongings if cyclone hits the area.

He also regretted the indifference shown, at a critical time like this, to the islanders by government and said that the authorities had not yet taken steps to ensure safety of inhabitants. When asked about the precautionary measures taken by islanders, he said, "if Phet strikes, we will be doomed". Asif Bhatti said that 211-fishing boast of Baba and Bhit islands had returned from the sea while 19 had veered towards Gwadar to avoid possible damages from the cyclone.

He added that 45-fishing boats, which had left the shore four days ago, came back and were moored in the seaport's navigational channel. The sea all-around the islands was calm until sunset, however, visitors to the Manora islands were much lesser in number because of an early warning regarding the possibilities of a cyclone.

Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]