Pakistan evacuates 60,000 as cyclone Phet looms

KARACHI: A major cyclone was closing in on Pakistan’s coastline, where the president ordered immediate precautionary measures and around 60,000 residents were being evacuated Thursday, officials said.

Tens of thousands were being evacuated from vulnerable coastal villages in the southern province of Sindh and another half a million could be affected in Balochistan province if Cyclone Phet smashes into Pakistan.

President Asif Ali Zardari ordered the military and government to take “immediate precautionary measures” as the tropical cyclone approached.