A severe cyclone packing winds of 75 km per hour was churning the Arabian Sea about 1100 km west-southwest of Mumbai and was likely to hit coastal Gujarat and Karachi by Thursday, the weather office said today.
The cyclone, named 'Phet', is expected to intensify and bring fairly widespread rains to coastal Gujarat, an advisory issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Weather prediction models suggested that the cyclone would intensify and move slowly in a north-northwesterly/northerly direction and then recurve northeastwards towards Gujarat and adjoining Pakistan coast, it said.
Coastal Gujarat is expected to be battered by squally winds with speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting 75 kmph from tomorrow which could increase gradually, the weather office said.
According to cyclone tracking models, some parts of coastal Gujarat may experience very strong winds packing speed of up to 125 kmph.
"Fishermen are advised not venture into the sea as sea condition will be very rough along and off Gujarat coast from tomorrow," the weather office said.
According to Met Department, the cyclone is assuming more fury 900 kilometers to southwest of Karachi. The ferocious hurricane would make landing at Pakistan’s coastline after 24 hours, as it is likely to force entry into Sindh coastal areas at night between Friday and Saturday.
The fierce storm could unleash heavy downpours couple with gale-force winds in coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan.
Under the influence of tropical cyclone formed in Arabian Sea, Widespread rain associated with strong gusty winds is also expected in Sindh including Makran coast between Thursday to Saturday. PHET is a Thai word pronounced as Pet, meaning "Diamond".
