A low-pressure area over the South Andaman Sea is set to turn into a cyclone – to be named Asani – by Sunday and may move north towards India’s eastern coast, the India Meteorological Department has said. IMD officials said the low-pressure area would likely intensify into a depression by Saturday evening and into a cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal 24 hours later. It is then expected to continue north-northwest and near coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha by May 10. Asani is likely to make landfall between Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneshwar between May 10 and 11.
Wind speeds between 45 and 55 km per hour with gusts up to 65 km per hour very likely over Andaman and Nicobar, the Andaman Sea and adjoining areas of southeast and east-central Bay of Bengal. Sea conditions will be rough to very rough in these areas. Authorities in the Andaman and Nicobar have been advised to suspend all fishing and tourist activities, as well as regulate all off-shore activities and move people out of vulnerable areas.
Winds between 55 and 75 km per hour with gusts up to 85 km per hour likely over southeast and east-central Bay of Bengal, as well as central parts. Sea conditions will remain rough.
