Cyclone Asani to intensify into severe cyclone; IMD issues alert for Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal

New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department on Sunday (May 8, 2022) informed that the deep depression over Southeast Bay of Bengal Sunday moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 16 kmph during the past 6 hours and intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘Asani'.

At 5:30 AM, the system lay centered over Southeast Bay of Bengal, about 450 km west-northwest of Car Nicobar (Nicobar Islands), 380 km west of Port Blair (Andaman Islands), 970 km southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 1030 km south-southeast of Puri (Odisha).

“It is very likely to move northwestwards and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm over east central Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours,” IMD said. The weather office also said that the system is very likely to continue to move northwestwards till May 10th evening and reach West-central and adjoining Northwest Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts.

Deep Depression over intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘Asani’ about380 km west of Port Blair (Andaman Islands).To move northwestwards and intensify further into a Severe Cyclonic Storm over east central Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours pic.twitter.com/3AkJAtHIxw — India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 8, 2022

The cyclonic storm is very likely to recurve north-northeastwards and move towards Northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast thereafter. 

Earlier, on Saturday, IMD DG Mrutunjay Mohaptra had informed that the cyclone was unlikely to make landfall either in the coast of Odisha or Andhra Pradesh, but will move parallel to the coast in the sea.

According to IMD’s latest bulletin, the system will remain in the form of a cyclonic storm till Sunday evening and later intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and will continue to remain in this form till May 10 night.

However, later on, it will lose steam in the sea and become another cyclonic storm on May 11 and 12.

While the maximum speed limit on May 8 will remain at 60 to 70 kmph, gusting to 80 kmph, its speed may increase to 90 to 100 kmph with gusting up to 110 kmph by Sunday afternoon and then speed up by evening to reach 95 to 105kmph with gusting to 115 kmph.

On May 9th, the wind speed will be 105 to 115 gusting 125 kmph and then the storm is expected to lose stream in the sea on May 10 with wind speed coming down to 96-105 gusting 115 in the early hours reducing progressively as the day wears off.

Meanwhile, the governments of Odisha and West Bengal have taken all precautionary measures to deal with the possible situation.

The Odisha government stated that even though the cyclone will not make landfall in the state, it will still not lower the preparation to deal with the possible situation and will keep cyclone shelters ready to house as many as 7.5 lakh people, if evacuated for the purpose.

(With agency inputs)