Cyclone Asna Brewing Over Arabian Sea, Warns IMD; All About Rare August Storm Near Gujarat

Even if the deep depression intensifies into a cyclonic storm, it is highly unlikely that it will impact the Indian coastline.

In a rare phenomenon, an uncommon cyclone is brewing over the Saurashtra-Kutch region of Gujarat and is expected to shape over the Arabian Sea on Friday (August 30), according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). If this cyclone does develop, it will be only the second such event in the Arabian Sea during August in over five decades. 

In a national bulletin, IMD said the deep depression over Saurashtra and Kutch is likely to move west-southwestwards, and emerge over the northeast Arabian Sea off Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts and intensify into a cyclonic storm on Friday. Once it strengthens into a cyclone, it will be named Asna, a name provided by Pakistan. 

Even if the deep depression intensifies into a cyclonic storm, it is highly unlikely that it will impact the Indian coastline. As per IMD, the cyclone is expected to travel from the Saurashtra-Kutch location of Gujarat in the direction of the Oman coast.

Cyclone Alert In Kutch

The authorities in Gujarat’s Kutch district have asked people living in huts and makeshift houses to take shelter in schools, temples or other buildings after the IMD said that a deep depression over the area might turn into a cyclonic storm by Friday morning.  

Following the warning by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Kutch Collector Amit Arora issued a video message asking people living in Abdasa, Mandvi and Lakhpat talukas to leave their huts and kutcha houses and take shelter in any school or other buildings. He also urged locals to come forward and provide shelter to such poor people in their houses till Friday evening.

Rare August Storm

As per IMD, the development of cyclonic storms in the month of August over the Arabian Sea is a rare activity. Only three cyclonic storms developed over the Arabian Sea in August between 1891 to 2023. This will be the first cyclonic storm to develop over the Arabian Sea in August since 1976.

In 1964, a short cyclone developed near the South Gujarat coast and weakened near the coast. As per the weather office, a cyclone had developed over Odisha in 1976, moved west-northwestwards, emerged into the Arabian Sea, made a looping track and weakened over the northwest Arabian Sea near the Oman coast. The 1944 cyclone also intensified after emerging into the Arabian Sea and weakened subsequently mid-sea. 

Similarly, over the Bay of Bengal during the last 132 years, there have been a total of 28 such systems in the month of August.

About The Current Storm

What is unusual about the current storm is that it has maintained the same intensity over the past few days, a scientist with the IMD told news agency PTI.

As per the expert, the tropical storm is sandwiched between two anticyclones – one over the Tibetan Plateau and another over the Arabian Peninsula. The deep depression over Saurashtra and Kutch has pounded the region with heavy rainfall, leading to a flood-like situation in many places.

As per the IMD data, the Saurashtra and Kutch regions have received 799 mm of rainfall between June 1 and August 29 this year as against the normal of 430.6 mm for the same period. This accounts for 86 per cent more rainfall than normal for this duration. 

Another low-pressure area over the central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal is likely to move west-northwestwards and become more marked over west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal by Friday. It is likely to move towards north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha coasts and intensify into a depression over west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal by Sunday, the IMD said.