Cyclone Asani Update: Storm To Weaken Into Depression, East Coast Braces For Heavy Rain

The system is moving along Narsapur, Yanam, Kakinada, Tuni and Visakhapatnam coasts and is likely to weaken into a depression by Thursday morning, the IMD said

New Delhi: Several places in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal will receive heavy rainfall Thursday as severe cyclone Asani is moving towards north coastal Andhra Pradesh, packing wind speed of 85 km per hour, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Though, the system has weakened into a cyclonic storm and is likely to weaken into a depression, it still has the potential to give good amounts of rain in the region.

Deep depression lay centred over coastal Andhra Pradesh, near Latitude 16.2°N and Longitude 80.9°E, close to West of Machilipatnam at 11:30 pm on 11 May, said the weather department in a tweet. It is expected to hover around the same region and weaken further into a depression on Thursday morning.

Andra Pradesh

"It is moving along Narsapur, Yanam, Kakinada, Tuni and Visakhapatnam coasts and is likely to weaken into a deep depression by Wednesday night and further into a depression by Thursday morning,” the bulletin said.

A bulletin from Cyclone Warning Centre (CWC) in Visakhapatnam has issued a red alert and predicted heavy rains at isolated places in Krishna, East Godavari, Yanam, West Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts. Heavy to very heavy rain is likely to occur at few places in Guntur, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Prakasam districts, while heavy rainfall may occur at some places in Nellore and Kadapa districts in the next 24 hours, the bulletin said.

The state government has already sounded a high alert in coastal districts.

Odisha

The Odisha government has put five southern districts - Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Ganjam and Gajapati - on high alert, as they are likely to be affected by the system, according to PTI report. The state government said the system will have no major impact on the state except heavy rainfall in some southern districts.

IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra in Bhubaneswar said southern Odisha will experience wind speeds between 40-50 kmph as the cyclone would make landfall.

Fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea till May 12. Light to moderate rain or thundershower was experienced in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Khurda, Puri, Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, the Regional Meteorological Centre said.

Jena said 60 ODRAF (Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force) units and 132 teams of fire service personnel have been deployed in the state, considering the emerging situation. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has earmarked a total of 50 teams for undertaking rescue and relief operations in areas affected by Asani.

West Bengal

The weather system may bring light to moderate rain in the districts of Gangetic West Bengal, according to the weather office, cited in PTI report. "Heavy rainfall is likely at one or two places over Purba and Paschim Medinipur, North and South 24 Parganas and Nadia districts of Gangetic West Bengal till Thursday morning," it said.

Fishermen have been directed to suspend fishing operations in the region as sea condition is likely to be high over west central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal till Wednesday evening, and very rough to rough over the same region on Thursday.

The weather department has been monitoring the cyclonic storm since the first signs of its formation emerged last week.

(With inputs from PTI)