At least two fishing boats were reported to have sunk in the Arabian Sea and several more were missing with their crews, sparking a desperate search by navy and coastguard helicopters and ships. Yemyin barrelled in three days after another violent storm killed at least 235 people in Karachi and Balochistan. Forecasters said a 7.6-metre storm surge was feared.
"The cyclone is likely to cause widespread destruction and coastal flooding along the Balochistan coast due to extremely heavy rainfall, gale (force) winds and associated storm surge," Chaudhry said. But he added that the cyclone's intensity had been falling.
At least 10 people, four of them children, were killed in Balochistan, mainly by flooded rivers in coastal areas, provincial government spokesman Raziq Bugti said. The figure was believed to include two Hindu pilgrims whom private emergency services said had drowned after becoming trapped in a rainwater drain. Another 15 pilgrims were missing.
Bodies of three fishermen were recovered from Keti Bandar, fishermen association official Siraj Khuhro told AFP by telephone. The cyclone and rain destroyed or damaged about 1,000 houses in Keti Bandar, Shah Bandar, Jati and other areas of the coastal Thatta and Badin districts, he said.
Hundreds of people have been shifted to camps set up in government schools and other buildings in the area, he added. In Karachi four people including an eight-year-old boy were electrocuted by power lines brought down by cyclone-induced rain and winds overnight, hospital sources said.
Police said a woman died and another woman and a girl were injured when the wall of their house collapsed in Tuesday's rain in Karachi. Pakistani navy and coastguard helicopters and ships rescued around 25 people from two ships stranded off the coast, but were searching for another 30 fishermen whose boats sank, said navy spokesman commander Salman Ali.
Another 56 were rescued later from two other stranded ships, he said. Other boats were stranded and had asked for help, he said. Residents said the cyclone had severed road and telephone links to the affected coastal region, which includes the China-funded, multi-million-dollar deep-sea port of Gwadar.
Officials declared an emergency in Gwadar and shifted more than 10,000 people inland from the town's harbour and nearby areas. Thousands more were evacuated from dozens of other coastal towns.
The Red Crescent provided 200 tents for affected areas and two trucks loaded with relief goods, deputy provincial relief commissioner Ali Gul Kurd said. The cyclone moved away from Karachi overnight after coming to within 90 kilometres of the port late Monday.
Cyclone Yemyin is the second major storm of the north Indian Ocean cyclone season after Cyclone Gonu hit Oman, Iran and parts of south-west Pakistan in early June, killing more than 60 people. The storm had also washed away several bridges and some sections of a highway along the coast, officials said.
"About 400 people are stranded on the highway and we're trying our best to airlift some relief goods and food to them. At this point, there's no other way to reach them," said provincial official Syed Waqar Ali Asad.
Minister for Communication Shamim Siddique said the damaged portion of coastal highway would be repaired within four hours once the water recedes. Workforce and machinery was in place near the damaged portions of the coastal highway in Makran and NHA would initiate rescue operation once the rain stops and restore the severed link of Makran with the rest of the country within four to five hours, he told Aaj TV. General Manager, National Highways Authority (NHA), Colonel Muhammad Javed (Retd) told PTV that around 56 bridges were under construction in the coastal highway.
Breach is occurred 73 km from RCD highway at Hangol bridge hampering traffic from Markan to rest of the country. Blocked areas would be opened within a few hours once water recedes, he said. He asked people not to travel to Balochistan without confirming latest situation about the blockade.
The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) in a report issued here said over 1,000 fishermen are missing and 15 injured, besides torrential rains and cyclone have damaged around 3300 houses and huts across the province.
It said 200 fishermen boarding 19 boats were trapped in the cyclone, and a boat drowned, leaving a fisherman missing in the sea about 100 nautical miles away from Karachi last day.
It said these fishermen were busy in fishing in deep sea when they were trapped by cyclone, adding 12 fishermen boarding Al-Gulzar boat were rescued after capsizing of boat but one was still missing.
PFF added the windstorm swept away roofs of about 2000 houses while 500 houses were collapsed in Ketti Bandar, Kharo Chhan, Jangisar, Thary Wari, Sajjan Wari, Turda Anhdo, Baghan, Mor Charai, Shah Bandar and Jatti. Some 200 pan farms and 100 poultry farms also completely damaged and 200 boats destroyed during the rains.
It added three fishermen - Badal Diblo, Musa Diblo and Mustafa Diblo - died as their boat capsized near Ketty Bandar. Their bodies were found two days after the incident. Hundreds of other boats had been anchored and fishermen could not go to their jobs. PFF feared this situation had exposed dangers to their livelihood, as they were ignored in relief activities. The report further stated that electric poles at Ketti Bandar had fallen down, suspending electricity supply to the area.
In Badin, 200 houses were damaged, besides entire communication suspended due to heavy rains. However, it said, thousands of homeless and helpless people were awaiting for the relief by the government and they needed food, relief, medical assistance and shelters.
District Nazim Karachi Mustafa Kamal said the city administration was working round the clock to provide relief to the public. Water boats, fire brigade and rescue teams are working collectively to avoid panic situation. Schools are being used as camps. Monitoring teams are working to check water raise in streams and the areas would be evacuated if needed.
He said, the district government was putting all efforts to facilitate KESC to restore electricity in the city. Required equipment to remove trees on roads and adjust electricity wire had been provided to them, he said. Emergency centers have been set up in all towns to provide aid to rain-affected people.