KARACHI: Heavy rains and stormy winds forced authorities in Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, to close schools on Friday, after a deep depression in the Arabian Sea that the weather office says could develop into a cyclonic storm.
Parts of Karachi received 147 mm (5.79 inches) of rain overnight, the local weather office said, and the city’s mayor, Murtaza Wahab, in a post on X, asked residents to avoid “unnecessary movement.”
The deep depression which is off the Rann of Kutch in India’s Gujarat, is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm on Friday, India’s weather office said, adding that it would move north-west over the Arabian Sea in the next two days.
Authorities in Pakistan asked fishermen and sailors not to venture out to sea, and warned that the storm is likely to result in flooding in cities as well as flash floods in hilly areas in coming days.
More than 28 people died and around 18,000 have been evacuated since Sunday from cities near the Gujarat coast, disaster management authorities said on Thursday, even as more rain was expected in the state as the cyclonic storm builds up.
The formation of a cyclonic storm over the Arabian Sea in August was a rare occurrence, the Indian Express newspaper reported, saying the last such storm was in 1964.
Schools in Pakistan’s Karachi closed as rare August cyclone builds up
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Schools in Pakistan’s Karachi closed as rare August cyclone builds up
- Weather office says deep depression in the Arabian Sea could develop into a cyclonic storm
- Authorities in Pakistan asked fishermen not to venture out to sea, storm could trigger floods
Pakistan concludes 60-hour joint military exercise featuring 19 states, including Saudi Arabia, US
- Exercise also featured participation from Turkiye, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Jordan and Qatar, says military’s media wing
- Says exercise is designed to enhance professional military skills through exchange of innovative ideas, tactical experiences
ISLAMABAD: A 60-hour-long joint military exercise organized by Pakistan’s army concluded this week at the eastern city of Kharian, featuring participation from 19 countries including Saudi Arabia and the US, the military’s media wing said.
The 9th International Pakistan Army Team Spirit (PATS) Competition is a 60-hour-long patrolling exercise, which the Pakistani military says is designed to enhance professional military skills through the exchange of innovative ideas, tactical experiences and best practices among participating teams.
The exercise was held from Feb. 5-9 in the semi-mountainous terrains of Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province, providing participants a “realistic and challenging operational environment.” Pakistan’s Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir attended the closing ceremony of the exercise on Monday and presented awards to participants.
“Over the years, PATS has evolved into a prestigious and highly competitive military exercise, recognized for promoting professional excellence and mutual learning among participating nations,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said in a statement.
“The forum continues to strengthen military-to-military cooperation and understanding, while fostering camaraderie and team spirit in a demanding operational setting.”
This year’s exercise featured participants from 19 countries including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Nepal, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Turkiye, USA and Uzbekistan, the ISPR said.
Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand attended the exercise as observers while 16 domestic teams from the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Navy, along with observers from the Pakistan Air Force also participated in the event.
Munir appreciated participating teams for their “exceptional professionalism, physical and mental endurance, operational competence and high morale” displayed during the exercise, the military’s media wing said.
“He emphasized the importance of such multinational engagements in enhancing collective preparedness and adapting to the evolving character of modern warfare,” the ISPR added.
Pakistan routinely holds joint air, ground and sea exercises with regional countries and traditional allies to foster interoperability to counter threats to global peace.
