#Cyclone Asani : IMD Issues Warning, Set To Intensify In 24 Hours, Severe Cyclonic Storm Feared; West Bengal, Odisha On The Edge

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India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that the cyclonic storm named ‘Asani’ is expected to further intensify in the next 24 hours.

Earlier on Saturday, the department had predicted that a depression has formed over the southeast Bay of Bengal about 170km west of Car Nicobar and is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by May 8.

‘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,’ the IMD said adding 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.

Speaking to ANI, Senior Scientist, Umashankar Das said, “The deep depression has intensified into a cyclonic storm named ‘Asani’. It’s moving at 16 kmph in a northwest direction. It is at 970 km in the southeast direction from Vishakapatnam and 1,020 km in the southeast direction from Puri.”

“We are expecting it’ll move in northwest direction till May 10 evening. Possibility, it’ll further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours,” he added.

However, the scientist denied the possibility of landfall and said that it will recurve and move parallel to the Odisha coast.

Das predicted rainfall by the evening of May 10 and said that yellow warning has been issued for three districts of Odisha.

“Rainfall will commence on 10th May evening, a yellow warning for rainfall issued has been for three districts — Gajpati, Ganjam, and Puri. On May 11, heavy rainfall warning has been issued for five districts — Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Cuttack and Ganjam,” he said.

In West Bengal, Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi held a meeting with senior officials of departments of the state disaster, agriculture, irrigation and power in connection with the state government’s preparations for Cyclone Asani.