Cyclone Tauktae: Four dead as dust storm, gusty winds wreak havoc in Karachi

Karachi: Pakistan’s biggest city Karachi was hit by gusty winds and a dust storm on Tuesday under the influence of Tauktae cyclone in the region which left four people dead.

At least 13 people were killed in Gujarat in India as the cyclone battered parts of the state and left behind a trail of destruction along the coast, uprooting electric poles and trees, and damaging several houses and roads.

Cyclone Tauktae hit Gujarat coast on Monday night as an "extremely severe cyclonic storm", bringing heavy rains to the state. Earlier, the cyclone had battered the entire west coast.

Rescue officials in Pakistan confirmed that at least four people were killed in roof collapse incidents after Karachi was hit by a dust storm followed by light rain in many parts of the city.

“The dust storm was caused due to the influence of the cyclone system being in southern Pakistan's vicinity combined with local weather conditions,” the met official said.

Karachi has been in the grip of a severe heat wave since the last three days with temperatures soaring up to 44 degrees Celsius.

A rescue official said that two persons were killed in a low-lying area of the city when the roof of their house collapsed while two deaths were reported from the New Karachi area.

A Met department official said Karachi, despite being on the coastal belt, was saved from the brunt of the cyclone which has caused more damage and deaths in India.

He said Karachi could experience gusty winds again until the cyclone system is out of the region.