LAHORE: As cyclone Nilofar approaches the coastal areas of Pakistan with gusty winds and heavy rainfall, WWF-Pakistan has stressed the need for taking immediate precautionary measures for the residents of coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan to cope with adverse impacts, if any, of the tropical cyclone.

WWF-Pakistan has mobilised its staff posted along the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan to help local authorities and coastal communities prepareforthe cyclone andits possible effects, says a press release issued by the World Wide Fund for Nature.

According to Dr Ejaz Ahmed, senior director of the WWF-Pakistan, `In order to reduce the risk, it is important to strengthen the natural ecosystem such as mangroves, which serve as a defence shield by protecting coastal communities against storms andcyclones.

Muhammad Moazzam Khan, technical adviser to the WWF-Pakistan, said it was now scientifically proven that the frequency of cyclones had increased in the past two decades due to climatic changes. Since 1999, eight major cyclones have hit the coastal areas of Pakistan, some of which caused severe damage to lives and property. Of these, Cyclone 2 A in May 1999 quite possibly caused the most serious damage to the coastal area of Thatta and Badin. Destruction of some of the infrastructure, including the Left Outfall Bank Drain (LOBD), seriously affected coastal communities and recovery from the damage has still not been completed. Similarly, Cyclone Phet in 2010 caused serious damage to fishing boats andcoastalinfrastructure in Gwadar, Jiwani, Thatta and Badin districts.

Moazzam stressed the needfor adequate preparedness so that any adverse effect of cyclone Nilofar can be tackled properly.