Tropical Cyclone Advancing Toward India, Pakistan: Report

(RTTNews) - A tropical cyclone from the Arabian Sea is rapidly advancing toward India and Pakistan and is expected to make a landfall within 24 hours, India's Meteorology Department said on Wednesday.

The storm which is presently centered about 1,000 kilometers off the coast of the western Indian state of Gujarat is likely to bring heavy rainfall to coastal areas in the region.

"It could intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm and move slowly in the north-westerly directions in the next 24 hours, and then re-curve north-eastwards toward Gujarat and the adjoining Pakistani coast," a communique said.

In the wake of the alert, fishermen in the area have been told not to venture into the high seas and the Gujarat government has also reportedly drawn up an emergency plan to deal with the situation.

Across the border, Pakistani authorities too have issued warnings to fisher-folks asking them to keep away from the seas and two Navy helicopters have been despatched to track around 100 boats which are still out there in the deep.

According to Karachi Port spokesman Shafiq Faridi, boats have been requisitioned to take residents of a harbor island located along the coast and schools will double as relief centers.

Over 350 people died in July 2008 when tropical storm "Yemyin" pummeled Pakistan's southern Balochistan province causing widespread damage and destruction of property.