New Delhi: India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said that the low-pressure area formed over the northern Andaman Sea is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm on Tuesday and cross the Thandwe coast in Myanmar in the early hours of Wednesday.
"The deep depression over north Andaman Sea & adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal lay centered at 1730 hrs IST today about 120 km east-northeast of Mayabundar (Andaman Islands) & 450 km south-southwest of Yangon (Myanmar), to intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 12 hrs," said IMD as quoted by news agency ANI.
The weather system had increased from a depression to a deep depression over the north Andaman Sea on Monday and was moving northwards at a speed of 13 kmph. It lay focused around 120 km east-upper east off Mayabundar in the Andaman Islands and 570 km south-southwest off Thandwe coast in Myanmar at 5:30 pm IST.
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"It is likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours," the IMD said in a bulletin issued at 8:30 pm on Monday.
The weather system will be named Asani, as recommended by Sri Lanka when it transforms into a cyclonic tempest.
"The weather system would continue to move nearly northwards away from the Andaman Islands and cross Myanmar coast between latitude 18 degrees North and 19 degrees North around Thandwe (Myanmar) during the early hours of 23rd March," the IMD said.
The meteorological department has advised postponing all activities related to tourism and fishing for the next two days in view of the fear of worsening situation at sea.
Fishermen have been instructed not to venture into the South-East Bay of Bengal on Monday and into the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as well as the Andaman Sea on Monday and Tuesday.
(With PTI inputs)