Bhubaneswar: The Deep Depression over Southeast Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 16 kmph during past 6 hours, and intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘Asani’.
According to the Met Department’s forecast, the cyclone will be closest to the coast by May 10 and 11, but is very likely to skip Odisha’s shoreline and recurve towards northeastwards towards the bay.
The system laid centered (at 5:30 am on Sunday morning) over Southeast Bay of Bengal about 450 km west-northwest of Car Nicobar (Nicobar Islands), 370 km west-southwest of Port Blair (Andaman Islands), 970 km southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 1020 km south-southeast of Puri (Odisha), the Indian Meteorological Department stated.
Asani is very likely to move northwestwards and intensify further into a Severe Cyclonic Storm over east central Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours. It is very likely to continue to move northwestwards till May 10 evening and reach Westcentral and adjoining Northwest Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh & Odisha coasts.
“Thereafter, it is very likely to recurve north-northeastwards and move towards Northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast,” the IMD further stated.
