Bhubaneswar, May 11

People in coastal districts of Odisha on Wednesday heaved a sigh of relief as the Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Asani’ over westcentral Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 12 kmph during past 06 hours, weakened into a Cyclonic Storm and lay centered at 0230 hours IST.

It lay centered at about 60 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 180 km south-southwest of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 310 km southwest of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 550 km south-southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 660 km southwest of Puri (Odisha).

According to Met office, it is very likely to move nearly northwestwards for next few hours and reach Westcentral Bay of Bengal close to Andhra Pradesh coast.

Thereafter, it is very likely to recurve slowly north-northeastwards, move along Machilipatnam, Narsapur, Yanam, Kakinada, Tuni & Visakhapatnam coasts and emerge into westcentral Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh coasts by the evening.

Then it is likely to move northeastwards towards northwest Bay of Bengal before weaking gradually into a depression by the morning of May 12.

The IMD predicted light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with isolated extremely heavy rainfalls likely over coastal Andhra Pradesh and heavy rainfall at isolated places likely over the south coastal Odisha, on Wednesday.

On Thursday, light to moderate rainfall is likely to occur at many places with heavy rainfall at isolated places likely over north coastal Andhra Pradesh, coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal, the IMD forecast.

The warning and forecast also includes gale wind speed reaching 75-85 kmph gusting to 95 kmph prevailing around the system centred over westcentral Bay of Bengal, which would gradually decrease to 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph by afternoon.

On Wednesday morning, squally wind speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph prevailed along and off Andhra Pradesh coast and is likely to increase and become gale wind speed reaching 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph along and off Andhra Pradesh coast (Krishna, East and West Godavari, Yanam of Puducherry and Visakhapatnam districts) during forenoon to afternoon.

It would then decrease gradually to 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph over the region by Thursday morning.

Sea condition is likely to be high over westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal till Wednesday evening and very rough to rough over the same region thereafter till Thursday.

The IMD has also warned of storm surge of height about 0.5 m above astronomical tide likely to inundate low lying areas of Krishna, East and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh and Yanam of Puducherry.

Warning has been issued to the fishermen to suspend fishing activity entirely.

The Special Relief Commissioner of Odisha PK Jena has directed the Fisheries & Animal Resources Development and Commerce & Transport Departments and Collectors of coastal districts to take stern action against fishermen who venture into the sea during rough weather flouting the advises of the district authorities and causing hardship for the administration.