Nine district likely to be affected due to cyclone, rain

Bhubaneswar, May 9(Reporters Today Bureau): As many as nine districts across the State are likely to be affected due to cyclone ‘Asani’ and the downpour it is likely to trigger from May 10.

According to India Meteorological Department sources, the severe cyclonic storm is to trigger light to moderate rainfall in coastal districts of Odisha while some districts are to experience heavy rainfall till May 12.

 It said heavy rainfall (7 -11cm) is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, and Puri on May 10; over the districts of Ganjam, Khordha, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack on May 11; and over the districts of Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara, 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 IMD advised to harvest matured crops/vegetables before rain or arrange for drainage of excess water and has asked to avoid irrigation and use of pesticides and postpone sowing of crops (Jute and others).

Notably, the storm lay centered at 0530 hours on Monday over West-central and adjoining South Bay of Bengal about 870 km west-northwest of Car Nicobar (Nicobar Islands), 730 km west-northwest of Port Blair (Andaman Islands), 550 km southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), and 680 km south-southeast of Puri (Odisha).

It is very likely to move northwestwards till 10th May and reach Westcentral and adjoining Northwest Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh & Odisha coasts.

Thereafter, it is very likely to recurve north northeast wards and move towards Northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast. It is likely to weaken gradually into a Cyclonic Storm during the next 48 hours.