Cyclone Asani moves closer to Odisha coast, to trigger heavy rain in several districts

Bhubaneswar, May 10: Even as the Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Asani’, over Westcentral and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal, moved west-northwestwards, it is likely to trigger heavy rain in several districts of the State on Tuesday.

The cyclone was moving with a speed of 7 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centered at 0230 hours IST of tuesay over west-central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal about 330 km southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 350 km southsoutheast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 510 km south-southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 590 km south-southwest of Puri (Odisha).

According to the India Meteorological Department, it is very likely to move nearly northwestwards till 10th May night and reach Westcentral Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh coast & adjoining Odisha coast.

Thereafter, it is very likely to recurve north-northeastwards and move towards Northwest Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts. It is likely to weaken gradually into a Cyclonic Storm during the next 24 hours, the IMD said.

Under its influence, light to moderate rainfall at a few places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over coastal Andhra Pradesh and heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over coastal Odisha from Tuesday evening.

The Met office further said that on May 11, light to moderate rainfall at a few places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over coastal Odisha & adjoining coastal West Bengal.

On May 12, light to moderate rainfall likely at a few places with heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal.

Gale wind speed reaching 95-105 kmph gusting to 115 kmph is prevailing around the system center over Westcentral & adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal.

It would gradually decrease becoming 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph over Westcentral and adjoining Northwest Bay of Bengal from evening.

Squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely along and off north Andhra Pradesh coast today.

On May 11, gale wind speed reaching 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph is likely to prevail over Westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal from morning. It would gradually decrease becoming 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph over northwest and adjoining Westcentral Bay of Bengal from evening. Squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely along and off north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts.

On May 12, squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph is likely to prevail over northwest Bay of Bengal and it would gradually decrease becoming 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph from noon.

Squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely along and off Odisha and West Bengal coasts.

As the sea condition is very likely to become high to very high, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has advised fishermen not to venture into Bay of Bengal and suspend fishing operations over westcentral & adjoining Bay of Bengal during May 10 to 11 and over northwest Bay of Bengal during May 10 to 12.

Heavy rainfall (7 -11cm) is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, and Puri today; over the districts of Ganjam, Khordha, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack on May 11; and over the districts of Puri, Khordha, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Bhadrak and Balasore on May 12.

Some impact on matured agricultural crops (summer rice, pulses), vegetables, and other vegetative/flowering crops (sugarcane, maize, etc), is likely over the districts of coastal Odisha due to rainfall.

The system is likely to be around 78 km from Gopalpur at 11.30 am on May 12.

Meanwhile, all the 11 fishermen from Odisha’s Ganjam district who were stranded in Bay of Bengal in the rough sea due to cyclone Asani have been rescued by the Coast Guards.

These fishermen were returning from Vishakhapatnam to Ganjam on a boat when they got stranded in sea, about a km from the coast near Sunapur in Ganjam following snag in their boat.

Ganjam district administration has closed Gopalpur and other beaches in the district to tourists on May 10 and 11 in view of the severe cyclonic storm Asani.