Cyclone Asani | Odisha plans evacuation

The evere cyclonic storm centered around 550 km southeast of Vizag and 680 km south-southeast of Puri at 5.30 am on May 9, and was moving towards the coast at 25 kmph.

With severe cyclonic storm Asani packing gale-force winds up to 120 kmph and moving towards the east coast bringing along heavy rain, the Odisha government on Monday planned evacuation of people residing in four coastal districts.

The system lays centered around 550 km southeast of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and 680 km south-southeast of Puri in Odisha at 5.30 am on Monday and was moving towards the coast at 25 kmph, a bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) at 8.45 am said.

Distant warning signal 2 (asking ships not to come near the coast) has been hoisted in all ports in Odisha in view of the approaching severe cyclone.

"The system is very likely to move northwestwards till Tuesday and reach westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh & Odisha coasts," the weather office said.

"Thereafter, it is very likely to recurve north-northeastwards and move towards northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast. It is likely to weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm during the next 48 hours," the bulletin said.

The system will not make landfall either in Odisha or Andhra Pradesh, IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohaptra had said on Sunday.

He had said the cyclone will move parallel to the east coast and cause rainfall.