Rare Weather Event Seen in Coastal Balochistan

A rare landspout was observed along the Balochistan coast after a gap of six years, according to meteorological experts.

Landspouts and waterspouts are column-shaped rotating air vortices that can appear over land and sea at the same time, extending from the ground or sea surface up into the clouds.

These phenomena usually form due to high moisture in the air and elevated sea surface temperatures. The diameter of the observed spout was approximately 50 meters, while wind speeds around it may have reached up to 80 km per hour.

Former Director of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Sardar Sarfraz, stated that the landspout was seen in Gwadar ahead of forecasted rainfall caused by an incoming western disturbance.

The rotating air column extended from the ground up to the sky and was clearly visible to the naked eye, creating a striking and unusual sight for nearby residents.

The PMD has already predicted rainfall starting Tuesday, and experts believe this natural event developed as part of the same weather system.

Sardar Sarfraz further explained that the landspout formed in the southwestern region of Balochistan due to a western low-pressure system entering Pakistan.

Technical adviser Muhammad Muazzam Khan from WWF Pakistan said that landspouts and waterspouts generally develop with column-shaped clouds and are usually not associated with thunderstorms.

He added that such events are typically short-lived and dissipate on their own. He further noted that waterspouts have long been recognized as serious hazards for maritime activities.