Hyderabad/ New Delhi : The Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Asani’ (pronounced as Asani) over Westcentral and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 23 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered at 1430 hours on Tuesday over westcentral Bay of Bengal near latitude 15.0°N and longitude 82.4°E, 210 km southwest of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 310 km south-southwest of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 590 km southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 640 km southwest of Puri (Odisha). It is very likely to move nearly northwestwards and reach Westcentral Bay of Bengal close to Kakinada-Vishakhapatnam coasts in Andhra Pradesh by Wednesday morning. Thereafter, it is very likely to recurve slowly north-northeastwards and move along Andhra Pradesh coast between Kakinada and Visakhapatnam and then emerge into Northwest Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts. It is likely to weaken gradually into a Cyclonic Storm by tomorrow morning and into a depression by Thursday morning, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin this evening. The cyclonic storm is under the continuous surveillance of Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) at Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. In New Delhi, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Tuesday reviewed preparedness of Central Ministries, Agencies and administration of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha in view of impending Cyclone Asani in the Bay of Bengal. NDRF has deployed nine teams and kept seven teams on standby in Andhra Pradesh; it has deployed one team and kept 17 on standby in Odisha and deployed 12 teams and kept five on standby in West Bengal. Additional teams are also in readiness if required, the Home Ministry said. Union Home Secretary directed Central Ministries and Agencies to keep a regular watch and be in touch with administrations of Andhra Pradesh & Odisha for any help, the ministry added. Light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over coastal Andhra Pradesh and rainfall at a few places with heavy rainfall at isolated places over coastal Odisha from tonight, the bulletin said.
