The severe cyclonic storm ‘Asani’ over west-central Bay of Bengal moved north-westwards with a speed of 12 kmph during past six hours and weakened into a Cyclonic Storm, the India Meteorological Department said on Wednesday.
The cyclonic storm lays centered over same region near latitude 15.6°N and longitude 81.3°E, about 60 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 180 km south-southwest of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 310 km southwest of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 550 km south-southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 660 km southwest of Puri (Odisha).
The system is very likely to move north-westwards for next few hours and reach West-central Bay of Bengal close to Andhra Pradesh coast. Thereafter, it is likely to recurve slowly north-north-eastwards, move along Machilipatnam, Narsapur, Yanam, Kakinada, Tuni and Visakhapatnam coasts and emerge into west-central Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh coast by this evening. Then it is likely to move north-eastwards towards north-west Bay of Bengal. It is likely to weaken gradually into a depression by 12th May morning.
The cyclonic storm is under the continuous surveillance of Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) at Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh).
Under the effect of the cyclone, light to moderate rain or thundershower very likely to occur at many places over the districts of coastal Odisha, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada and at a few places over other districts of the State today. Heavy rainfall in the range of 7-11cm is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, PuriKhordha, Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack, said the weather department.
As many as 12 additional teams of fire services personnel have been sent to five districts for relief and rescue operations. Four senior fire services officers have been given responsibilities of the five districts.
CFO I/C has been put in charge of Ganjam, Koraput DFO in charge of Koraput, Bhawanipatna DFO in charge of Malkangiri.