New Delhi: Cyclone Asani is expected to intensify into a "severe cyclonic storm" in the next 12 hours, according to the Indian Meteorological Department.
The meteorological service warned that cyclone Asani is expected to travel northwestwards and build into a 'Severe Cyclonic Storm' during the following 12 hours, according to a bulletin.
Taking to Twitter, IMD said, "The CS ‘Asani’ over Southeast BoB moved northwestwards and lay centered at 1130 hours IST of today, over the same region about 530 km west-northwest of Car Nicobar (Nicobar Islands), 440 km west of Port Blair (Andaman Islands), 900 km southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh)."
"Deep Depression over intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘Asani’ about380 km west of Port Blair (Andaman Islands).To move northwestwards and intensify further into a Severe Cyclonic Storm over east central Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours," IMD said.
Cyclone Asani is expected to continue moving northwestwards till May 10 evening, reaching westcentral and bordering northwest Bay of Bengal near the shores of North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, according to the Amaravati Meteorological Centre in Andhra Pradesh.
It is highly likely to recurve north-northeastwards after that, moving towards the northwest Bay of Bengal off the coast of Odisha.
A depression formed over the southeast Bay of Bengal around 170 km west of Car Nicobar on Saturday, according to the meteorological service, and is expected to grow into a cyclonic storm by May 8.
IMD Issues Warning For Fishermen Venturing Into Bay Of Bengal, Andaman Sea
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning for fishermen entering the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea on Sunday.
“Fishermen are advised not to venture into East-central and South-east Bay of Bengal and adjoining Andaman Sea on May 8. Meanwhile, fishermen were also advised not to venture into central parts of Bay of Bengal on May 9 and 10 and over Northwest Bay of Bengal from May 10-12," IMD tweeted.
As the meteorological event in March had burned out, Cyclone Asani would be the first cyclonic storm of the season.