KARACHI: Cyclone Nilofar in the Arabian Sea has intensified into a 'very severe' tropical cyclone, said the Pakistan Meteorological Department.

Section 144, which prohibits bathing in the sea, has been imposed in the coastal areas including Karachi and Badin.

Speaking to the media, Chief Meteorologist Tauseef Alam said the cyclone is currently 1,100 kilometers away from Karachi.

He said the cyclone will start moving towards the north-west and then north-east during the next 12 hours.

Alam also said that torrential rains will also take place in the coastal areas of Sindh including Karachi, Umer Kot and Keti Bunder.

Meanwhile, on the directive of administrator Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), rain emergency centres have been set-up as preventive measures ahead of the expected cyclone.

The emergency centers have been established in district central, district south, district Malir, district east, district west, whereas a central rain emergency center has been setup on the ground floor of the Civic Centre building.

The engineering department has directed the concerned districts chief engineers to monitor preventive measures that have been taken to deal with the cyclone and also to establish rain emergency centres in their respective areas.

Balochistan imposes ban on entry of fishermen in Arabian Sea

The Balochistan government on Tuesday issued red-alert for coastal belt of the province as Cyclone Nilofar gradually approaches Gwadar and other areas.

The government has imposed a ban entry of fishermen into the Arabian Sea for the next three days.

The Balochistan Home Department issued a letter to commissioners of Makran and Kalat and asked them to take effective measures with regard to preventing measures about the cyclone.

"Fishermen should not go into Arabian Sea from Wednesday to Friday," the letter said.

Cyclone Nilofar is expected to bring widespread rain, thunderstorms and strong gusty winds on the Pakistani coastal belt within next 48 hours, the National Disaster Management Authority has warned the Balochistan government while quoting the climate change experts.

"The cyclone is almost 1000km south of Gwadar", the Home Department letter said.

The commissioners have been directed to take precautionary measures on the coastal belt to avoid any human or financial losses.

Balochistan has about 1000km long coastal belt at the Arabian Sea.

The residents of Gwadar, Pasni, Ormara and other coastal areas are dependent on fishing.

The coastal belt has a history of past cyclones that had forced the people to evacuate their homes.