Over the last 30 years or so I have seen Karachi narrowly escapes these Arabian Sea bubbles - the worst came very close to Karachi in 2006 or 2007, the worst for Badin and Thatta was in 1999 and the worst for Baluchistan was 2007 as well.
We hope this time as well, we are saved from these natural disasters.
Latest from our own met office (proved pretty accurate on most of the occasions)
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Date/Time: 30[SUP]th[/SUP] October, 2014/1800 PST **Tropical Cyclone Advisory 9 ** Tropical Cyclone-04A (NILOFAR) in Arabian Sea
Severe Tropical Cyclone (Nilofar) in Arabian Sea has weakened rapidly and converted into a “Cyclonic Storm” and now located at Lat. 20.4°N and Long. 64.6°E, about 560 km in southwest of Karachi. The Cyclonic Storm would continue to move north-eastward with a speed of 12 km/hour in next 24 hours. At present the estimated central pressure of Cyclonic Storm is 996 hpa and the average sustained wind speed around is 45-50 Knots gusting up to 55 Knots. The Cyclonic Storm is likely to further weaken into a Depression over the water in Northeast Arabian Sea near the coast of Lower Sindh (Thattah) and Indian Gujrat on Friday evening/night.
Under the influence of this Cyclonic Storm, widespread rain/thundershowers with isolated heavy falls accompanied by strong gusty winds are expected in Lower Sindh and the adjoining coast of Lasbella from tonight till Saturday. The sea conditions along Pakistan coast are likely to remain rough to very rough on Friday/Saturday. The fishermen of Sindh and Balochistan are advised not to venture in the sea on Friday/Saturday.
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In May 1902, a cyclonic storm struck the coast in the vicinity of Karachi.
In June 1907, a tropical storm struck the coast near Karachi.
On 27 July 1944, a cyclone left some 10,000 people homeless in Karachi.
On 12 June 1964, a deadly cyclone made landfall near Karachi.
On 15 December 1965, a powerful cyclone slammed the city with 10,000 casualties.
In May 1985, a cyclonic storm made a landfall in the eastern direction of Karachi. The cyclonic storm in 1985 which was moving towards Karachi actually had weakened over the sea while still a few 100 Kilometers away south of Karachi.
In November 1993, a category 1 cyclone approached the Sindh-Gujarat border but dissipated due to high vertical shear over open waters.
In June 1998, remnants of the category 3 Gujarati cyclone (the 5th strongest cyclone of the Arabian Sea) killed 12 people near and in the city.
In May 1999, again a category 3 major cyclone (the 4th strongest cyclone of Arabian Sea) hit near the city; this Cyclone killed 700 people in Sindh including Karachi. It is the strongest cyclone recorded in Pakistan.
In May 2001, the powerful category 3 cyclone (the 3rd strongest cyclone of the Arabian Sea) hit the Indian border of Gujarat. It caused rain along the Sindh coast, but no damage was reported.
In October 2004, a severe cyclonic storm, Cyclone Onil, approached the Sindh coast but later recurved back to the sea; it caused heavy rain that killed 9 people in Karachi.
In early June 2007, Super cyclonic storm Gonu (the most strongest cyclone in the Arabian sea) caused strong gusty winds in the metropolis with light rainfall as the storm was moving towards Oman.
In June 2007, a cyclonic storm, Cyclone Yemyin, passed near the city and killed 200 people before moving towards Balochistan where it killed 380 people.
In November 2009, remnants of Cyclone Phyan caused gusty winds along the Sindh coast including Karachi. However six Pakistani fishermen were trapped in the storm later rescued by the Indian Navy.
In June 2010, Cyclone Phet (the 2nd strongest cyclone in the Arabian Sea), once a powerful category 4 cyclone, made landfall near the city as a weak tropical depression, with a total 14 casualties in and near the city.
In November 2010, remnants of Cyclone Jal caused drizzle with dusty winds in Karachi while it caused light to moderate rainfall in southeastern Sindh.
In November 2011, the outerbands of cyclone Keila brought drizzle to the city while moderate showers to the Makran coast.
