Cyclonic storm Asani weakening, unlikely to make landfall in India

New Delhi, May 10 (EFE).- The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Tuesday said a weakening severe cyclonic storm Asani was moving away from the east coast.

The Met department had earlier predicted that the storm would make landfall Tuesday.

The system will move in a northwesterly direction and reach the west-central Bay of Bengal.

The department said the cyclone was likely to move northwestwards till Tuesday night and reach the north Andhra coast and adjoining Odisha coast without making a landfall.

“The system will cross Odisha coast as deep depression, most likely it will pass around 78 kms off the coast near Gopalpur in the morning of May 12. Rainfall intensity to increase in coastal districts tomorrow,” the IMD said.

It warned of 7-11cm rainfall in some areas.

Currently under the category of the severe cyclonic storm, with winds of between 100 and 110 kilometers per hour, the department said Asani could lose strength.

“It is likely to gradually weaken into a cyclonic storm over the next 24 hours,” the IMD said.

The arrival of the cyclone has forced the states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to order the withdrawal of fishing boats and prepare for possible evacuations.

The passage of cyclones is common on the Indian coast.

Last December, the arrival of cyclonic storm Jawad forced the authorities to evacuate tens of thousands of people in the states of Bengal, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh.

In May 2020, super cyclone Amphan left more than 100 dead in India and Bangladesh, in one of the worst incidents in years. EFE

daa/ssk