Bhubaneswar: IMD said that Cyclone Asani, formed over the southeast Bay of Bengal, further intensified into a severe cyclonic storm on Sunday evening as it moved northwestwards in the direction of north Andhra Pradesh-Odisha coasts.
The cyclone, on reaching west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh-Odisha coasts on Tuesday, is very likely to recurve north-northeast wards and move towards northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast, it said.
The severe cyclonic storm is very likely to lose some steam thereafter and turn into a cyclonic storm on Wednesday and further into a deep depression on Thursday, IMD said in its forecast of cyclone’s track and intensity.
IMD categorically said that the system will not make landfall either in Odisha or Andhra Pradesh.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director-General Mrutunjay Mohaptra said the cyclone will move parallel to the east coast and cause rainfall from Tuesday evening.
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Jena said the state government has made adequate arrangement for rescue operations.
“We do not see any big danger in the state as the system will pass around 100 kilometer off the coast near Puri,” SRC said.
However, rescue teams of NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Services are on standby for any eventuality, he said.
A unit of NDRF has been deployed in Balasore and a unit of ODDRAF was sent to Ganjam district. ODRAF teams are also on standby in Krushna Prasad, Satpada, Puri and Astarang block in Puri district, and Jagatsinghpur, Mahakalpada and Rajnagar in Kendrapara, and Bhadrak.
All the coastal districts have been put on alert and collectors have been empowered to undertake evacuation, keeping in view the local situation, SRC informed.
Director-General Fire Services Santosh Kumar Upadhayay said all the 339 fire stations have been put on alert.
“Rainfall activities will commence in the coastal districts from Tuesday evening under the impact of the cyclone,” said Umashankar Das, senior scientist at Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre.
Heavy rainfall is very likely in some areas of Gajapati, Ganjam and Puri on Tuesday. The next day, heavy rainfall may happen in Ganjam, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack. Heavy rainfall is very likely in Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Bhadrak and Balasore on Thursday.
The cyclone is likely to bring in moderate rainfall over Gangetic West Bengal from Tuesday to Friday with heavy downpour at one or two places in the coastal districts of the state.