Pakistan has planned to evacuate at least 50,000 people from its southern coastal areas with cyclone Nilofar slowly moving towards it, officials said on Thursday.
The cyclone, moving towards Sindh at about 14 km per hour may hit Pakistan by the early hours of Friday.
Chief meteorologist Tauseef Alam told reporters in Karachi the cyclone may pass around 250 km from Karachi but its outer waves would hit the coast.
The National Disaster Management Authority said about 50,000 people in vulnerable areas were to be made ready for emergency evacuation.
All government offices and educational institutions in Karachi, Thatta, Badin, Sujawal and Tharparkar will remain closed on Friday where a cyclone emergency had been declared.
Preparations have been made to rehabilitate people in government buildings including educational institutions.
Provincial Information Minister Sherjeel Memon said emergency centres have been set up in all coastal areas and appeals were being made to residents of the areas to shift for a few days to safe locations within their districts.
The government has already asked the fishermen to stay away from the sea and those already gone to the sea were being called back.
