Odisha, WB on alert as ‘Asani’ to intensify by 2 stages today
The India Meteorological Department on Sunday confirmed the year’s first storm in the North Indian Ocean region — Cyclone Asani — was developing over the southeast Bay of Bengal and warned that it would intensify by two stages by Monday. The cyclone is likely to strengthen into a very severe cyclonic storm, with windspeeds reaching 118-220 km per hour, and remain over the east-central Bay of Bengal.
Winds with packing speeds starting 45 kmph and reaching a maximum of 90 kmph, are expected on Tuesday and Wednesday over the central Bay of Bengal. The met department has already issued a warning to the fishing community against venturing into the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea in the next three days in view of the approaching cyclone and rough sea conditions. The sea conditions near the Odisha coast are expected to become rough on May 9 and rougher on May 10. Windspeeds in the sea are likely to increase to 80-90 kmph on May 10.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has also put on alert its employees and disaster management teams due to the formation of cyclonic storm Asani, which is likely to intensify further into a severe cyclone. Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim said the leave of all necessary employees are being cancelled to deal with any emergency evolving due to the cyclone, which he said was unlikely to hit the city but will bring heavy rains in its wake.
In its bulletin, the IMD said Cyclone Asani was likely to continue to move towards the northwest till Tuesday evening and reach west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal, off the north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts. It is likely to recurve north-northeastwards and move towards the northwest Bay of Bengal, off the Odisha coast.
Odisha has also been put on high alert ahead of a heavy rainfall forecast on Tuesday and Wednesday.